LoVe Forged in Fire
by lateVMlover
Summary: This is the sequel to "Road to Epic," occurring in the post-season 3 VM world. This story takes place a few weeks after "Road," the fall semester of the junior year. Veronica and Logan are engaged and expecting their first baby. Will they get their happily ever after? Will their love survive the challenges life throws them? Compelling storylines for secondary characters.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the 4th chapter in my Post-Season 3 stories. If you have not read "Tear Away the Mask," "Ties that Bind," and "Road to Epic," I do not recommend you start with this one. I have created 3 original characters that feature prominently.**

**This story will be much darker than previous stories. I will be exploring the heartaches, disappointments, and tragedies that happen to all of us at times. I think people who stay in love no matter what and learn to work through the challenges are the real epitome of epic love. I hope you will go with me on the journey I take our beloved characters through. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: The Road to Epic Continues

_Where We Left Off:_

_It's fall of their junior year at Hearst. Logan and Veronica are officially engaged and expecting a child. Veronica is a little over two months pregnant. Eli and Jason started their own P. I. business with Jason's Uncle Nico as their front man. Eli finally told Jazmin he loved her, and they are together. Piz stayed in NY leaving a heartbroken Parker behind, who Duncan is trying to win for his own. Parker, Mac, and Jazmin all live together as do Eli and Jason. Dick, Logan, and Mac opened a modeling agency in Neptune called Faces. Trina works with them. She had a son that she decided to not give up for adoption. She named him Logan Richard Echolls. They call him Richie. Mac and Dick are happy and in love. Everyone is excited about Veronica's baby even though she isn't very far along yet. Gory Sorkin's older brother Sean and cousin Julie came to town to get revenge for his disappearance, suspecting he was dead. Julie planted bombs, killing Clarence Wiedman. Nathan Woods, Wallace's father, is now head of Kane Security. Sebastian Jaleno, the twins father, came to town to end the Sorokin threat forever. Sean Sorokin headed Sebastian's warning and left town._

_Now:This chapter takes place a few weeks after "Road to Epic" in about the 3rd week in October. It is Wednesday night, and they have just finished with midterms. Fall break starts, giving the students a four day weekend. Logan turns twenty-one that week, so Dick insisted on a party to celebrate. The party is on Wednesday because it marks the official end of midterms and because Logan and Veronica plan on driving to Malibu the next day to celebrate their recent engagement._

****_At the Beach House_****

Dick examined all the party-goers that filled their house with satisfaction. He had never got to throw a back to school bash or a Labor Day party. But after all the drama the past two months, now was the best time. Sean Sorokin was out of his fraternity forever and out of town, permanently put in his place by the twins' dad, who Dick now referred to as The Godfather. Logan, who turns twenty-one tomorrow, is engaged to Veronica and happier than ever. He watched them slow dance not too far away from him in their living room, smiling at the picture they made. Dick examined the dancers around them. Although many of his frat brothers were here blowing off steam, the room was filled with happy couples. Eli and Jazmin were dancing-if you could call their swaying dancing. Duncan and Parker obviously weren't in the same place but seemed to be enjoying themselves. Wally-world was having an animated discussion with that too serious-Thea chick. Dick realized suddenly that not every couple was doing okay. He grinned as he watched Jason glower at Daisy as she flirted with some of his fraternity brothers.

He felt small hands snake around his waist. He smiled down at Mac. "I was wondering where you ran off to," Dick said.

"I was making sure your frat boys were behaving," Mac said.

"I told you not to worry. They are all afraid of Ronnie and know better than to trash our place!" Dick said with a grin. He pointed at Daisy. "Looks like Daisy is on the prowl again though. Did her and Jason break up?"

Mac looked and frowned. "No, she's just punishing Jason by making him nuts," Mac said.

"What did he do?" Dick asked.

"He doesn't always make Daisy feel like she's important to him," Mac said.

Dick scoffed. "What an idiot! The smarter they are, the dumber they are!" Dick said, immensely happy to see the too perfect Jason screwing something up for once.

"He's never had to work for it before. Logan says he loves that about Daisy though. Plus, he's never had a serious girlfriend," Mac shared.

Dick shook his head. "I don't envy him or Logan with their crazy, drama-prone women! I'm lucky to have you!" he said, making her smile. "Dance with me, woman!"

Mac giggled as he swung her around to the dancing area.

Across the room, Jason was trying to not get mad as he watched Daisy flirt shamelessly with another guy right in front of him. He didn't know if it'd be better to play the same game, to pretend indifference, or to let her know how upset he really was. She'd been frosty with him for the past two weeks, refusing to get over him never mentioning her to his dad.

When the one guy, turned into two, Jason's fist clenched. That was it. He walked up and stood next to her. "Daisy, can I talk to you?" he asked, trying to keep his annoyance from showing.

Daisy turned to him, still smiling at whatever the guy had said to her. "About what?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jason found her dismissive attitude too much. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the frat boys. She didn't appreciate it and protested. "What do you think you're doing? Let go of me!" Daisy demanded, obviously not happy with him and his highhandedness.

The two guys she'd been talking to saw an opportunity to score some points with her and quickly came to her defense. "Hey, let her go!" one of them said to Jason.

Jason did just that and turned to face the two guys. "This is my girlfriend you guys are hitting on, so I suggest you back the hell off!" Jason said angrily, punctuating his words with a hard shove.

His actions caught the attention of the surrounding people. Veronica and Logan both turned at the commotion. They were taken aback to see that Jason was the cause and moved together to keep things from escalating.

The man didn't appreciate Jason's shove and swung at him. Jason quickly dodged the fist and gave the guy his own right hook, knocking him into the other man. Logan moved swiftly and grabbed Jason and pushed him back while Veronica turned down the music. Dick quickly joined Logan in keeping his frat brothers from jumping Jason. "Chris, what the hell?" he asked the guy Jason had hit.

"He was manhandling Daisy! We were just defending her," Chris said defensively.

"I wasn't manhandling her! I had her hand and was pulling her away from you two!" Jason said hotly.

"No need to fight over me, boys!" Daisy said in amusement.

"You know what? You're right. My mistake. I'm sorry," Jason said to her in disgust. Then he turned to Chris. "She's all yours." Jason gave Daisy a final angry look and walked off.

"What are you doing?" Veronica asked, pulling Daisy aside.

Daisy lost her amused expression as she watched Jason walk away. "I'm not sure anymore," she admitted.

"Are you trying to break up with Jason?" Veronica wondered.

"No. I just want to matter to him," she said quietly.

"Well, I've never seen Mr. Control so out of control, so I think it's clear that you matter," Veronica pointed out. "If you don't want to lose him, I suggest you go after him."

Daisy realized Veronica had a point and went after Jason.

Logan came up behind Veronica and wrapped his arms around her. "You know for some reason it never occurred to me that Jason was the one we needed to worry about," Logan said dryly.

Veronica grinned up at him. Dick overheard his remark and chuckled. "I am stoked that Mr. Perfect isn't so perfect after all!" Dick said with satisfaction.

The man in question was trying to exit the party and pretend the night never happened when his concerned sister and Eli corned him, demanding to know what was going on.

Jason was trying to brush them off when Daisy came up behind him. Jazmin glared at her. "Daisy, why are you hitting on other guys when you're supposed to be dating my brother?" Jazmin demanded to know.

"I didn't realize that dating your brother meant I could never talk to another guy," Daisy said sourly. "Not that it's any of your business!"

"It's my business when your floozy behavior gets my brother into fights!" Jazmin exclaimed angrily.

Jason stepped between them. He faced his sister. "That's enough, Jazmin. You need to back off," he warned.

Jazmin opened her mouth to argue, but Jason interrupted. "Now," he ordered in a tone that broke no argument. "Daisy is _not_ a floozy, and you need to apologize for saying that."

Eli, who was standing next to Jazmin, had to quell his natural instinct to defend Jazmin. He knew better than to get in between the two siblings. He also knew Jazmin's dislike of Daisy wasn't always rational.

Jazmin looked shocked at her brother's demand. Daisy had to fight the grin that threatened to appear.

"I'm not apologizing to her!" Jazmin insisted, dismayed at his request.

Jason reached for Daisy's hand and pulled her to his side. "Look, Jazzie, you know I love you more than my own life, and I know you think you're watching out for me. But Daisy is my girlfriend. She is important to me, and you need to respect that. Sure she makes me crazy, but that's why I am so crazy about her!" Jason said as he flashed a grin at Daisy.

Then he looked back expectantly at his sister. She recognized the look and knew he meant it. She sighed in annoyance. "Fine. I'm sorry, Daisy," Jazmin said.

Daisy bit back the rude remark she wanted to say and simply nodded. Letting go of Daisy's hand, Jason stepped closer and kissed his sister on the cheek as a thank you. "Sis, has it ever occurred to you that I've never cared enough about a girl to be bothered by who she's talking to?" Jason asked quietly. He didn't wait for a response. Instead, he turned back to Daisy, who flashed him a pleased smile. She willingly took his hand again, and they left the party together.

Eli put his arm around Jazmin's waist and hugged her to him. "Princess, let it go," he advised.

She turned to him. "How can I? She's all wrong for him!" Jazmin stubbornly insisted.

"How would you feel if your brother said that about me and was constantly trying to get you to agree with him? Would you appreciate it?" Eli asked.

"No, but Jason knows you're perfect for me and that you love me. Daisy is just toying with my brother!" Jazmin insisted.

"I love you, babe, but I don't agree. Your brother has never been any girl's boyfriend and keeps messing up. She's just training him," Eli remarked with a grin.

"He's not a puppy!" Jazmin said with a pout.

Veronica and Logan had come up behind them and overheard their comments. "Jazmin, all men are dogs until the right women comes along to train them!" Veronica said, grinning.

Logan didn't take offense and grinned back. "True," he acknowledged.

Eli laughed. However, when Jazmin didn't join in, Veronica said, "Jazmin, you really need to let go of this dislike of Dasiy. Your brother has been the one to hurt her and make her feel bad about herself. It's not the other way around."

"I'm sorry. I just have a hard time believing that. Jason has never hurt me," Jazmin said.

"How a man treats his sister or mother is not always how he treats a woman he's sleeping with or wants to sleep with," Logan said.

Veronica didn't appreciate Logan's implication. "That's not all that's between them! If you can't see that when they're together, then you're both blind!" Veronica stated loyally. She dismissed them both with an annoyed sniff and stomped off.

Logan could tell Jazmin was a bit hurt by Veronica's defense of Daisy. "You know she'd react the same way if Daisy was insulting you," Logan said.

Jazmin looked sad but nodded. "It's just that last year Veronica and I bonded over our mutual dislike of Daisy and now she's like Veronica's new best friend, and I'm the bad guy," she remarked. Then she turned to Eli. "I want to go home." Veronica was the first real girlfriend she'd ever made. Her friendship meant everything to Jazmin, and suddenly it seemed like Jazmin's wasn't that important to her. Old feelings of insecurity and not belonging were rising up. Was she always going to be the outsider, the one never quite fitting in?

Eli knew not to push. He exchanged a look with Logan. "Thanks for having us," Eli said.

Logan nodded and watched them head toward the front door.

Across the room, David, Wallace's roommate, was watching the couple with avid interest. Wallace's new friend Thea, noticed his intensity and asked Wallace, "Why is your roommate so focused on Jazmin?"

Wallace looked and saw Jazmin and Eli walking toward the foyer. He looked at David, who was sitting on a bar stool a few feet away from him. "He has a crush on her. She went out once with him in an attempt to get Weevil's attention. It worked as you can see. David can't seem to move on," Wallace said with a shake of his head. He shouted to David, "Move on!" David gave him a confused look. Wallace pointed at Jazmin, who had gotten stopped by Mac at the door. "Move on already! It's pathetic!" Wallace yelled with a grin.

David smiled easily enough, flashing Wallace a sheepish look. Wallace laughed and looked back at Thea, who was frowning.

"He's a Texan," Wallace said as if that explained David's behavior.

"It's never a good sign when a guy's so fixated on a girl he never slept with or had a real relationship with," she remarked.

"Jazmin definitely didn't sleep with him. She just had dinner with him one time. She told him no more than once before agreeing to the dinner," Wallace shared.

"So after getting rejected over and over, he kept asking?" Thea inquired, clearly bothered by the picture Wallace was painting. "That's harassment!"

Wallace's eyes widened in surprise at her assessment. "I wouldn't say that. Jaz has never told me she feels harassed. He's just admiring her from afar."

"I hope so," Thea said, still not satisfied.

"Well, he's an okay roommate. A nice guy, but I really miss Piz, my old roommate. Piz wants to come back. He gave his notice at the radio station in New York," Wallace revealed.

"Why would he come back in the middle of the semester?" Thea asked.

"Parker, Jazmin's roommate, was his girlfriend. He was stupid and stayed in New York instead of going back to school this semester. He regrets it and misses her like crazy. He knows Parker's been dating Duncan. He doesn't want to lose her forever," Wallace said.

"You know I really don't see how your friends ever have time to study with all the constant drama," Thea said in wonder.

"Me neither! The semester started off pretty rocky," Wallace admitted. "But thanks to you, I got through my midterms!"

"Glad I could help. My high school required an insane amount of work, so I learned how to study. That's how I tested out of so many hours," Thea said.

"More like 'cause you're a genius!" Wallace said with an admiring grin. "So are you gonna let me take you out to dinner this weekend as a thank you?" Wallace asked.

"No, I'm going to my grandparents tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday," she said. "Fall break, remember? Besides, I don't need a thank-you. I like helping people."

Wallace realized that she honestly didn't seem to get the fact that he was trying to ask her out. She was probably the smartest girl on campus, but she really was oblivious to male-female relationships. He didn't want to spook her, so he kept it casual. "I know, but I like buying dinner for pretty girls that help me," he said, flashing her another grin.

She laughed, assuming he was kidding. "You're sweet," she said.

Wallace shook his head in amazement; he wasn't quite sure when he lost his game.

***_*Daisy and Jason_****

Jason drove Daisy back to her dorm since she had her own room, and he knew they would be assured privacy.

They didn't speak much during the car ride. Daisy felt nervous for the first time with him. It suddenly seemed like a first date. She instinctively knew that something had shifted between them. When Daisy opened her door, she turned and asked tentatively, "Would you like to come in?"

"Would you like me to?" Jason asked with a smile. He never knew with her. Her unpredictability always kept him guessing.

Daisy relaxed slightly and returned his smile. Then she stepped back so that he could come in.

"I'm sorry for being such an ass," Jason told her as she put her keys and purse on her desk.

Now feeling confident, she went to him and put her arms around his neck, flashing him a flirtatious look. "Well, I _was_ purposely annoying you, so it's okay," she admitted. "You more than made up for it."

"I did? How?" Jason asked.

"You showed me that you care. That I matter," Daisy said simply.

Jason cradled her cheek in his hands. "I hate that I've made you feel so insecure. I'm sorry," Jason said sincerely.

Daisy could tell that he meant it and decided it was time. "I know how you can make it up to me," she said with a saucy grin.

"How?" Jason asked, smiling at her sudden warmth.

Daisy stepped back and reached behind her back and lowered the zipper on the dress she was wearing. She let it slide to the ground and stood before him wearing a set of black lingerie. Her full breasts barely contained within the black, lacy bra.

"You can make love to me," Daisy offered.

"I can? Really?" Jason asked in surprise.

She made it clear by unsnapping the bra that hooked in front and letting it drop to the floor. Jason's mouth fell open in amazement. He swallowed hard. It'd been too long since he'd had sex of any kind, and she was a goddess!

"I haven't been with any guy since the last time we had sex, but I wanted it to be more this time. I wanted it to mean something," Daisy told him, somewhat bashfully.

Charmed, Jason grinned at her sudden shyness. Wasting no time, he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his shirt. Then he quickly grabbed and kissed her before she could change her mind. "You aren't going to change your mind?" he had to ask when he broke off the kiss.

Daisy laughed, his reaction giving her confidence. "No, I'm ready. Punching out a guy because you were jealous helped a lot, but sticking up for me with your sister completely won me over and silenced my doubts," Daisy said. She kissed him.

Without breaking the kiss, Jason walked her backward to the bed. When her legs hit the bed, she broke off the kiss and turned to pull back the covers. Jason sat down next to her and took her hand, surprising her. "I want you to know that I haven't been with anyone else either. My inattentiveness wasn't because of my lack of interest. I just was and am always so busy. This summer I had time and opportunities, but no one seemed as exciting as you," Jason admitted with a rueful smile.

Daisy was taken aback by his confession. It filled her with warmth. She gave him a happy smile. Finally, she knew without a doubt that it was the right time, and he was the right guy.

*****_Back at the Beach House*_****

After Weevil and Jazmin left, Logan found Veronica chatting with Thea and Wallace. She looked up at Logan with barely suppressed excitement. "Thea says I can get an ultrasound now! She says it's too soon to determine sex, but most doctors do two. The first one to make sure everything's okay and that there's only one!" Veronica shared excitedly.

"More than one? What do you mean? Twins?" Logan asked in alarm as if the idea had never occurred to him.

"Not likely but you never know! Dad had a cousin that had twins," Veronica said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Wallace laughed at Logan's panicked expression. "You ain't right, girl! You shouldn't tease him like that!" Wallace said.

"Thank you, Wallace! I'm glad someone sees what I have to put up with!" Logan complained. The look of adoration in his face as he looked at his fiance belied his complaint.

"You love me and you know it!" Veronica said smugly, throwing her arms around his neck and lifting her head for a kiss. Logan gladly gave in to her silent request. However, before the kiss could get interesting, Veronica broke it off. "What time is it?" she asked suddenly.

Wallace looked at his watch while Thea glanced at her phone. "Ten," they both said.

"Where's Trina? She's supposed to go get Richie from Dad and Alicia," Veronica said.

"Mom, won't care," Wallace said. "It's too loud to bring the baby back here anyway."

"They like to go to bed around ten since they both work in the morning, and we didn't tell them to keep Richie all night. Besides, he's only a month old. He can't stay gone all night!" Veronica insisted anxiously.

"Okay, we'll go find Trina," Logan said easily. There was nothing that made her come unglued faster than thinking Richie was sick, upset, or being neglected in any way. Logan had a hard enough time convincing her that Richie would be fine the three nights and four days they were away in Malibu. Reminding Veronica she wasn't his mother didn't help. She took her role as aunt very seriously. Nor did she completely trust Trina, Logan suspected. She had never said that to him, but Logan understood. He was never 100% sure of his sister either.

Seeing Trina dancing drunkenly with one of Dick's fraternity brothers didn't help. Veronica looked horrified and marched over to her. She grabbed Trina's arm and unceremoniously pulled her away from the dancing into the kitchen where it was quieter.

"Damn, Veronica! What's wrong? Why did you pull me away from that cute fraternity boy?" Trina asked, disgruntled.

"Because it's time for you to go get Richie, but I can see that you are drunk! Why are you drinking? You can't drive to get him! Are you insane?" Veronica asked, upset.

"Relax, buzz-kill. This is the first time I've got to blow off steam in months! Not to mention I could get lucky tonight! It's been ten looong months, if you know what I mean," Trina said with a suggestive wink.

"Trina, you're supposed to wait until your six week check-up to have sex! Everyone knows that!" Veronica said.

"What?" Logan asked. "I have to go six weeks without having sex with you? Are you kidding me?"

Trina laughed. "It's the least suffering you get to do for putting us women through such hell! So suck it up and don't complain!" she said.

"Focus, you two!" Veronica ordered. "Trina, do you want me to go get Richie?"

"I'm not a complete moron, Ronnie. I did call Alicia earlier and ask if she could keep him all night. I didn't think he'd be able to sleep in all the commotion," Trina said.

When Veronica looked surprised, Trina rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, Veronica. Remember, he's my son, and I do love him. It's kind of a drag being a mom, but I'm doing the best I can. Give me some credit!" Trina said impatiently. Then she turned and walked back to the party.

Veronica was disgruntled and frowned after her. "I can't believe her!" Veronica said.

"Actually, I can. This is the Trina I know and love," Logan said wryly. "But she's right. You can relax some. You've been kind of all over the place tonight."

"What do you mean? I can't help but be anxious about Richie. He's so tiny and defenseless!" Veronica explained.

"Richie I understand. You're a new auntie. We've never been around babies. Lily was already a toddler when she came back home with Duncan. But earlier you were a bit abrupt with Jazmin. She seemed upset," Logan said. "I know you're hormones are making you more emotional than normal, but over-reacting to a typical Jazmin-Daisy squabble isn't like you. I never liked Weevil and you never liked Dick for a long time. We managed. They managed. It wasn't a big deal. Not everyone has to be best friends or agree all the time."

Veronica sighed, all her energy suddenly draining out of her. Her emotions were all over the place these days. It was really frustrating sometimes.

"I know. I've turned into a crazy woman!" she complained, leaning into him.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Well, I happen to love crazy women, so it's okay!" he teased. He leaned down and kissed her.

Dick came into the kitchen. "God, Logan, she's pregnant already! You know you can quit pawing at her every second!" Dick complained with a grin. "We're out of chips."

"So get some," Veronica said. Then she to Logan, "I love it when you put your paws on me!"

Logan laughed and leaned down to kiss her again. Dick rolled his eyes and grabbed a bag of chips from inside a cabinet. "That poor kid's going to be scarred for life!" he yelled as he walked out.

Logan broke off the kiss and grinned down at her. "You know those are the kind of scars I look forward to giving our son or daughter," he said.

Veronica had to fight hard not to get misty-eyed, thinking about some of his own very real scars both from his father and his gunshot. "Me, too," she said. "Me, too."

_******Chapter End*******_

_I'm going to try to keep the chapters under 6,000 words, so you can enjoy a good update without it sucking up all your time. I'll be updating regularly, so I don't see a need to have overly long chapters every week. Maybe on occasion. You know how much I appreciate your reviews and feedback, so please let me know how you feel about this first chapter!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Love is in the Air

******_*The Next Day*_******

Logan was loading up his SUV with bags and their surfboards. His mother's former agent, Gary Gibson, had a house in Malibu that was right by the beach off of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Gary had been feeling nostalgic when the anniversary of his mom's film career had came around last week and had called up Logan. Logan had always liked Gary because Gary had hated his dad. His mom had often turned down roles to accommodate his dad's schedule. Gary also knew Aaron Echolls would never have allowed his wife to have her career eclipse his. When Logan had mentioned his recent engagement and impending fatherhood, Gary had insisted Logan make use of his Malibu beach house.

Alicia pulled up. Logan went to meet her.

"Hey! You didn't have to bring Richie. Veronica was going to pick him up. She didn't want to leave without seeing him," Logan remarked.

"Oh, it's fine. I don't mind," Alicia said as she opened up the backseat to get the baby. "You can grab his bag though."

"No problem," Logan said. He reached in the car and grabbed the diaper bag and followed Alicia to the front door.

Veronica greeted Alicia eagerly, happy that Richie was back home. "How was he? Did he cry?" she asked as Alicia passed off the baby carrier. Veronica sat the carrier on the end table and reached in to get Richie out.

"He was perfectly fine. A complete angel. He slept through the night," Alicia said with a fond smile.

Richie opened his blue eyes and waved his little hands at Veronica, who interpreted that as facial recognition.

"See, he did miss me!" Veronica exclaimed, picking him up and smothering him with kisses.

Alicia and Logan smiled at her. "Your dad and I loved watching him, so tell Trina anytime," Alicia said. "Darrel was disappointed that he doesn't do much yet, but I assured him that would change."

They laughed and said goodbye to Alicia as she left to go to work.

"Logan, how can we leave him for so long?" Veronica asked, hugging Richie close.

"Snookums, we've talked about this. We need this time alone. You know it. Things have been intense the past two months. We've had no alone time since our road trip in June. We're only going to be gone until Sunday," Logan reminded her.

Veronica knew he was right, but she had this irrational reluctance to be gone from Richie for so long. "What's wrong with me? Why is it hard to leave him? I know he's not my son, but sometimes I feel like he is," she admitted for the first time. "I can't imagine how irrational I'm going to be when our own child is born. I'll never get anything done!"

Logan laughed. He reached for Richie. His little puff of red hair made him the most adorable baby Logan had ever seen. He understood Veronica's feelings; he loved his nephew more than he loved just about anyone. The instant feeling of love was amazing. It was an incredible, powerful feeling. Babies were so easy to love. They were without prejudice, without hate, without malice. They simply had needs and doing the simplest things fulfilled those needs. Logan always felt so good about himself whenever he took care of his namesake. "Well, he _is_ an incredible baby. We can drive back early Sunday and spend the day with him before classes start back," Logan offered.

Trina came into the living room yawning. "'Morning. Is Richie okay?" she asked.

"Alicia said he was an angel," Veronica said proudly.

Trina reached for him, and Logan gave him to her. "He's a good baby," she said as she kissed him hello.

"We're ready to leave," Logan shared.

"Did Mac talk to you?" Trina asked.

"About what?" Logan asked.

"About me starting back to work part-time next week. I figured I could just take Richie with me when I go in. We can put a crib in my office," Trina said. "Dick thought it would be great."

"Of course, he did. He wants to be able to play whenever he can," Veronica said with an eye roll.

"I thought you had to wait six weeks?" Logan wondered.

"That's the norm, but I don't have a physically strenuous job, so it's okay," Trina said.

"If you think you can handle it, it's fine with me," Logan said. He turned to Veronica. "Are you ready? The cars loaded up."

"I suppose," she said, not excited.

"I'll try not to take it personally," Logan said dryly as he grabbed her hand.

"Call us if you need us or if Richie gets sick or if you get sick or.."

Trina cut Veronica off with a laugh. "We'll be fine. Take your computer, and I'll Skype you Friday. You can see Richie," Trina offered.

Logan gave his sister a grateful look; she grinned in understanding. Veronica was happy and ran to grab her computer. "Thanks, sis. She's having a hard time letting go," Logan said.

"I can only imagine how she'll react when your baby arrives!" Trina exclaimed.

Logan grinned at the thought. She was going to be an amazing mom-a real tigress. He couldn't wait!

*****_*Jason and Daisy_******

Daisy woke up the next morning with Jason's arms wrapped around. She was surprised to discover he was such a snuggler. The last time she'd had sex with him there had been no sleeping and definitely no snuggling. She turned in his arms to examine him. He was such a beautiful man. Sometimes, his natural male beauty and flawless features struck her. His chest was sculpted and covered with a thick amount of chest hair. She loved it. Daisy had never been with a man with so much chest hair, and she hadn't realize how utterly sexy she'd find it. Their first time together had been so frenzied and rushed that she'd never taken time to notice the details. She reached over and ran her hand lightly across his chest.

Her movement woke him. He gave her a sleepy smile. "Good morning," he said. He leaned close and kissed her lightly.

She smiled. "Good morning. I was just admiring this fine specimen of a man I found in my bed," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"And I'm sure he's eagerly admiring you," he replied, finding her tousled hair utterly adorable. She was as beautiful in the morning, unadorned, as she was when she was perfectly coiffed.

"I'm a mess," she said, trying to smooth her wayward curls.

"I think you look sexy. If we were in my bed, we could slip into my shower," Jason said, giving her a very interested look.

She got hot thinking about it. "I've never showered with a man before," she revealed.

Jason sat up. "Really? You haven't?" he asked in surprise.

"I'm nineteen, not twenty-nine! Contrary to what your sister thinks, I'm not a floozy! I'm sure there's lots of things I've not done yet," she said with a naughty expression on her face.

Jason felt himself grow hard as various lascivious thoughts came to his mind. "Well, I'm sure there's a few I haven't done either. We can experiment together," he said as he leaned over and kissed her. "And my sister doesn't know everything."

"Do you have plans for today?" she asked.

"Can't I make love to you all day?" he asked with a leer.

She laughed. "Well, the dorms aren't really the best place for that. Maybe I can stay with you at your place tonight," she suggested a bit tentatively. She wasn't sure yet what to expect from this new change in their relationship.

"That sounds like a plan! I'll take you to dinner," Jason said.

Daisy was really happy. Finally, she felt like she was part of a couple. "But before you leave," she said as she maneuvered until she was straddling him. The sheet fell and her naked breasts were revealed.

"You have the most beautiful breasts I've ever seen!" Jason said in appreciation.

"So they inspire you? Are you up for some morning exercise?" she asked suggestively.

She could, of course, easily feel how up for it he was. She gave a low chuckle as she bent down to kiss him, her hair falling in his face.

"You hair's blocking my view!" he complained with a grin.

Daisy laughed and reached over the the bedside nightstand and grabbed a hair tie. She pulled her hair back so that Jason could have his unobstructed view of his favorite sight.

"Where were we?" she asked coyly, leaning back over him.

"About here," he said as he made her gasp when his mouth closed around her nipple.

Daisy loved a man who knew what he wanted.

****_*Eli and Jazmin*_****

Eli woke up with the sun much higher in the sky than it normally was when he woke on Thursday mornings. Not having to go to his 8 o'clock class was nice. It was rare that he got to sleep in on a week day. He didn't have to be at work until two; he had some surveillance work to do. Eli had come to understand why Veronica didn't mind it so much when she was working those late nights back in high school. It was a perfect time to catch up on his assigned reading. Taking a college class wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it'd be. In fact, he may give in to Jason's nagging and take another class in the spring.

"Why are you so far away?" he asked Jazmin who was standing and looking out his bedroom window. She was dressed in one of his t-shirts.

"I was just thinking," she said. She walked back to his bed and sat down.

Eli could tell she was still down. "About what?" he asked.

She shrugged, not really wanting to talk.

He sat up and moved until he was sitting next to her on the bed. He put his arm around her. "Are you still upset over that thing with Veronica?" he asked.

"I'm not really upset. It just makes me kind of sad. Veronica's the best friend I've ever had, but I know I'm not hers. That never bothered me before. But it bothers me to think I now rank below Daisy," she said sadly.

"Well, I don't think V ranks her friends. She doesn't take any friendship lightly because after Lilly died she realized she only had one real friend. And Meg, Lily's mother, wasn't really strong enough to withstand the mob that Logan led against her. When she's your friend, it means something. Her loyalty and friendship is something you can always count on. All her friends get an equal part of her. That's what makes her such a good friend to have," Eli told her. "Besides, I thought I was your best friend."

Jazmin couldn't help but smile at him. He was so sweet. She ran a hand down his unshaven face. "You are the best boyfriend a girl could have," she told him.

"Well, I suppose I can deal with that," he said, leaning in to kiss her. "I love you, mi hermosa chica dulce."

"I love you," Jazmin said, feeling better. "You always know what to say."

"I don't like you being sad. Your smile is too nice to hide," he said.

She laughed. "Now you're putting it on too thick, but I appreciate it," she said. She gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to jump in the shower then fix us some breakfast."

Eli's eyes lit up. "Maybe one of those Italian breakfast skewers?" Eli suggested eagerly.

"If you have any sausage, I can try," she said.

An hour later, they were finishing up breakfast when a very happy looking Jason walked in. "Hey, smells great! Did you save any for me?" he asked, heading to the stove.

"Some," Eli said. "You look awfully satisfied with yourself. And you never came home last night. Did Daisy finally put you out of your misery?"

Jason just grinned and Eli laughed. Jazmin rolled her eyes. "I'm trying to eat. You're making me lose my appetite," Jazmin said with a grimace.

"Don't be like that, Sis," Jason said. He grabbed a plate and filled it. Then he went to the fridge and poured some orange juice.

When he sat down, Jazmin asked, "Why her? I just don't get it."

"Well, besides the obvious, she's unpredictable, bold, and clever. Very, very clever. I love clever women! And she's complicated. You know how easily most women bore me. With Daisy, I'm never bored. She's the most exciting woman I've ever met," Jason shared.

Jazmin knew he meant it. She could understand what he was saying. "I don't think she's the kind of girl that's ever really satisfied. If you like her too much, I worry that you'll be hurt. No woman has ever hurt you before. I really don't like the idea of that," she said flatly.

"He's a big boy. He can handle it," Eli said with a smirk.

"I don't think you've ever had your heart broken or you wouldn't say that!" Jazmin said, frowning.

"Jazzie, don't worry so much. Eli's right. I can handle it. Daisy's not going to break my heart. I'm not in love with her. It's too soon for that. But I could love her. I've never liked a girl so much. She's amazing, and you'd see that if you'd quit being so hostile and critical toward her," Jason said with disapproval.

"I think your sister likes being the only woman in your life," Eli teased.

"Hey, that's not true! I don't mind if he dates!" Jazmin insisted, disgruntled.

"You seem to mind if I have a girlfriend though, don't you?" Jason pointed out. "And quit saying that it's because it's Daisy. That may be part of it, but I think Eli has a point. It's always been just you and I. I know it's not easy for you to see me get close to another women. But you must know this would happen some day. And I hope you know that no matter whom I love, I will always love you and watch out for you. You will always be important to me and no one can replace you. Does you loving Eli make me less important to you?"

"No, of course not," Jazmin replied. She looked at Eli, who was looking at her with patient understanding. She sighed in defeat. "Okay. I get it. You're right. Daisy does have some good qualities. I know that. She's very loyal and independent. And strong enough to stand up to Veronica."

"That says a lot right there," Eli said grinning. "V hated her, too. The fact that they're friends now should tell you something. Veronica doesn't let go of a grudge easily. Daisy has a lot going on behind that pretty face of hers."

"Yes, she hides behind a tough exterior, but there's much more to her I can assure you," Jason said.

"I hope you're right," Jazmin said. "I'll be nice. I promise."

Jason finished drinking his juice. He got up. "You're the best sister ever. I love you. And if Eli ever hurts you, I will beat him bloody just for you!" he said.

"You'll try!" Eli replied.

Jason laughed and kissed his sister on the cheek before putting his plate in the sink. "Gotta take a shower. Oh, Daisy's coming over tonight, so if you two can not be here that'd be great!" he said with a grin.

"Oh, I think we can help you get lucky!" Eli said with a chuckle.

"Gross! Not a picture I need in my head, thank you!" Jazmin exclaimed with a grimace. She got up to clear the table.

"Hey, I'll clean up. You cooked. I clean. Them's the rules," Eli said.

"I really love your grandma. She raised you right!" Jazmin said, kissing him.

"The woman was a saint alright!" Jason teased.

"Go take your shower!" Eli ordered, throwing a kitchen towel at him.

Jason laughed and turned to do that.

******_A few hours later*_*****

Mac, Dick, Parker, and Duncan were spending the afternoon taking Lily to the fall carnival. Dick was every bit as excited as Lily. It was her first carnival.

"So what do you want to do first, Lily-pad?" Dick asked. "Do you want your big strong Uncle Dick to win you a toy or your puny dad to try?"

"My daddy's not poony!" Lily said loyally, not knowing what that meant but recognizing an insult when she heard it.

"It's okay, honey. Uncle Dick is trying to overcompensate, so he always insults other guys. He doesn't mean anything about it," Duncan said.

Dick laughed. "Overcompensate? You're funny! Tell him, Mac. Tell him that I don't need to overcompensate. Tell him how satisfied you are! I can still hear you screaming my name from last night. Tell him!" Dick ordered, causing Mac's mouth to fall open in shock and her face to turn bright red.

"Dick!" Parker admonished, covering Lily's ears.

"Dick, I can't believe you!" Mac exclaimed and she stomped off, too mortified to discuss it further in front of Duncan and Parker.

Dick ran after her while Duncan snickered.

Parker shook her head. "I don't get them sometimes. Mac is so different from Dick. How is it that they work so well?" Parker wondered.

"Is Dickie in twouble?" Lily asked, looking up at her Dad.

"Yep. Dick doesn't know when to shut his big mouth sometimes, but we love him anyway," Duncan said with a grin.

"I do. He's the best!" Lily said excitedly. "He always plays with me and makes me laugh. He's so silly!"

"That he is," Parker agreed.

"So why don't we try the Tilt O'Whirl first?" Duncan suggested. "Don't want to go on it after we eat!"

"Good idea. And it's not too wild for Lily," Parker said, smiling. This was the first time she had went on an outing with Duncan and his daughter. She had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, she liked the fact that Duncan wanted to share his daughter with her. But on the other hand, she wasn't sure she was ready for that because she and Duncan were just now beginning to date. She really liked him, but sometimes it felt like it was too soon to be with another guy. Duncan was so patient with her though. He hadn't pushed, but he had let her set the pace. She smiled at him as he held out his hand to help her step into the ride.

Elsewhere at the carnival were Dick and Mac. "I'm sorry, Mackie! Don't be mad!" Dick was saying for the third time. Mac had ignored the first two apology attempts.

Mac knew that Dick hadn't meant to mortify her. It wasn't his fault that he had not one private bone in his body. And she also knew that guys were naturally competitive-Dick more than most. However, if she didn't keep Dick reigned in, he'd never learn self-control. "Dick, why would you think it'd be okay to reveal something so personal in front of Duncan? Parker's my roommate, her I could handle. But Duncan? He and I are friends, but not that kind of friends!" Mac said, frustrated and still embarrassed.

Dick grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry," he said. He gave her his best puppy-dog sad eyes, knowing she was mostly powerless to resist his woebegone expression.

She sighed in defeat. "It's okay. Somehow I feel it won't be the most embarrassing thing you'll ever say," she said in resignation.

Dick grinned happily, relieved she wasn't mad anymore. He pulled her in for a hug. Then he kissed her neck. "I'll try to be more discreet, sweetcakes. I promise!" he vowed.

Mac smiled. "I'd appreciate it. Because if you don't, I can promise you that it will be a _looong_ time before you get to satisfy me again!" she informed him sternly.

Dick winced at the threat. "I get it. I'll be good!" he promised.

She put her arms around his neck and gave him a light kiss. "I know you will," she said with the confidence that came from knowing and understanding your man better than anyone else on the planet.

"Let's go find our friends," Mac said. They walked through the carnival holding hands. Mac laughed as Dick told her about the last time he was here with Beaver. Finally, Dick could talk about his brother without a dark cloud coming over them both. It was a good thing to witness.

******_In Malibu**_****

It only took Logan and Veronica a few hours to get to Malibu. After they explored the two story beach house, they took a swim in the pool. They were lounging by the pool side reading the books they had brought when Veronica's stomach growled loudly.

Logan grinned. "Someone's hungry," Logan observed, closing his book.

"Little Eli's hungry," Veronica said, rubbing her stomach.

Logan groaned. "I thought we agreed you were having a girl!" Logan said.

Veronica just grinned. "Well, we're not going to know for sure for a few more months!" she said. "Besides, if we have a boy, Richie will have a best friend!"

Logan did enjoy the picture she was painting. "You know I like the idea of that. Jazmin and her brother are so tight because they've always had each other. I'd like that for our child. Plus, it would be much better than having twins!" he said.

"You're right. Twins would be nuts! I can't really even imagine us trying to raise twins! After we were done with school, maybe. But one right now will be enough work!" she said.

"You know the baby's due around finals next semester. What if you go into labor in the middle of your finals? What if you have the baby right before finals and you can't finish?" Logan said, suddenly worried.

Veronica laughed. "Okay, Dick! Let's not be a drama-queen! I thought we were leaving him behind in Neptune!" she joked. "However, we'll be married. Pregnancy is a natural thing. I'm sure I can get a make-up. You did when you were shot and in the hospital. I'll just take four classes next semester. I can make up the credits in the fall."

Logan frowned. "Your senior year will be hard enough," he pointed out.

"Logan, most college students don't graduate in four years. We're not on anyone's timetable but our own. It'll work out," she said confidently. He nodded.

"So do you want me to order something to be delivered or go out?" Logan asked.

"Why don't we go out tomorrow night? I'd like to stay in and relax. There's this awesome hot tub upstairs on the deck that I thought we could try out later," she said, giving him a saucy grin.

"Sounds like a plan!" he agreed. "I'll go look through the take-out menus I saw in the kitchen."

"I'll go hop in the shower," Veronica said. "Order Chinese!"

Logan smiled as he watched he walk inside wearing her red two piece. There was a slight roundness to her stomach, but it probably wouldn't be apparent to anyone else. However, he knew her body as well as he knew her own. Knowing that something they created together was even now growing inside her filled him with such wonder. He was going to be a dad. How cool was that?

*****_Back at the Carnival*_****

Duncan and Parker were on the Ferris wheel while Dick was winning Lily prizes below.

"I'm glad you came," Duncan said when they stopped halfway up.

Parker smiled. "Yeah, this is fun. It's been awhile since I've been to one of these. Having a child with you seems to make it more fun," she said.

"I know what you mean. Showing Lily things for the first time is the best feeling in the world. You're great with her," Duncan observed.

"She's a sweetheart," Parker said.

"She's the most important thing in my life, but I want you to know that I have room for you," Duncan told her.

"Thanks. I'm glad we did this today, but I don't think we should do too many things with your daughter until you and I are in a different place. You know what I mean?" Parker said, feeling a bit awkward. But it was important to her that Lily not be hurt if things didn't work out with her and Duncan.

"The fact that you're so sensitive to her needs in one of the many reasons I'm so crazy about you," Duncan said, letting her see in his expression how much he liked her.

His admiration made her feel warm inside. He always made her feel so good. Piz had left her feeling raw and insecure, but the more time she spent with Duncan, the better she felt. Some days she went all day without thinking of Piz. Duncan leaned into kiss her. It was a sweet and romantic kiss. She really did like him a lot. However, at night when she went to bed, it was Piz's face that still flashed in her mind. Until his image was gone, she didn't think she could give Duncan what he wanted. What he deserved.

"I'm not over Piz yet," she said, not wanting to or even meaning to. But she found herself admitting it anyway.

Duncan tucked her hair behind her ear. "I like the fact that you don't just move on so easily. I'm not going to push you. I will wait for you as long as it takes," Duncan said sincerely.

Parker found his patience so endearing. "You're so amazing. Why would you wait? I'm not sure I understand why," Parker said in wonder.

"Because I think you're worth waiting for, and I know we could be amazing together," Duncan said with confidence.

As the Ferris wheel moved higher and higher and then back down, Parker kept her gaze locked with Duncan's, her hand in his.

Down below, Mac and Dick were done with their game and were watching the Ferris Wheel that held their friends. Dick pointed out Duncan for Lily, who waved.

"Daddy didn't wave!" Lily complained.

Mac and Dick exchanged looks. How do you tell a toddler that Daddy had eyes for another girl?

"They're going kind of fast, sweetie. He probably didn't see you," Mac said easily.

"I think Daddy's in love," Dick whispered to Mac.

Mac looked up and watched the wheel come back down. This time Parker saw them and waved. Lilly jumped up and down excitedly waving.

"I'm not sure Parker's ready for that," Mac said.

"Don't tell me she's still stuck on that Pissaster!" Dick said with an eye roll. "How could she still be? He's been gone for months!"

"He has but they've only been broken up for two," Mac reminded him. "She really loved him. Logan and Veronica were broken up much longer than that but never quit loving each other. And they both dated other people."

"True. But Duncan's so much better than Piz!" Dick said loyally. "I don't get girls sometime."

"Girls feel things deeply. If we broke up, it'd take me a long time before I'd want to date another guy," Mac said.

Dick frowned unhappily at the thought. "We're never going to break up, so there's no need to imagine that!" he said fervently.

Mac smiled and squeezed his hand. "I hope not. I love you," she said.

"Damn straight!" Dick said with a wide grin.

Lily's eyes got big. "You said a bad word!" she exclaimed. She looked at Mac expectantly. When Mac scolded Dick, Lily grinned pleased. "You're not supposed to say bad words, Dick!"

"I'm sorry! Do you still love me?" Dick asked, crouching down so Lily could see him better.

She nodded. "Mackie, I think we might have to break up after all 'cause another woman has stolen my heart!" Dick exclaimed dramatically. He planted a loud smacking kiss on Lily's cheek causing her to giggle. He picked her up and spun in a circle. Lily flung her hands up so she could feel the twirl.

Duncan and Parker had got off the ride and came behind Mac watching Dick with Lily. "He's really great with her," Parker observed.

"He really is," Mac said watching him with love in her eyes. He was a big kid at heart, but it was more than that. He loved life and seemed to ring every drop of life and joy out of every moment of every day. How could she not adore a man like that? One day he'd make a wonderful father. For the first time, she could really picture it. And it was a beautiful picture.

*******_Chapter End*******_

_As always, your thoughts and reviews are both coveted and appreciated!_


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter only contains LoVe. I hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter 3: Malibu Magic

*******_Thursday Night in Malibu*_******

After eating the leftover's from lunch and watching some television, Logan and Veronica decided to try out the hot tub that was outside on the deck that extended from the master bedroom.

"If we had a bigger house, we could so have one of these!" Logan said as he prepared to step outside.

"Logan! You can't go out there naked!" Veronica exclaimed in a scandalized tone.

Logan grinned. "Why sure I can. Watch me!" he arrogantly replied as he stepped out on the deck nude as the day he was born.

Veronica watched from the doorway, quickly scanning the area for peeping-Toms. When she realized the beach was deserted and there wasn't a neighboring deck that'd grant an accidental viewing, she relaxed. "Well, don't expect me to join you! I'm not that free yet!" she announced as she went to join him. Logan held out his hand and helped her step into the tub so that she wouldn't fall.

"That's okay. I like it when your suit is all wet and molding tightly against your body," Logan said with a suggestive grin.

Veronica had her hair pinned up and was leaning back across from Logan. She smiled with her eyes closed at his words. "I know you do," she said. Then something occurred to her, and she opened her eyes. "You know you might not find me so attractive when I get fat and bloated."

"It's different when a woman gets fat because she lets herself go, not caring about her body, her health, or appearance, than when she is big because she's pregnant," Logan said. "I can promise you I will find you just as attractive at nine months as I do right now."

"From what I've read, women often get the biggest with their first pregnancy, and it's not always easy to lose the weight. What if my metabolism slows down, and I stay fat?" Veronica asked with a frown.

"They'll just be more of you to love," Logan said, finding her sudden insecurities sweet. It was so unlike her. Pregnancy was bringing out facets of her that he never knew existed. It was fascinating.

"You say that now," she said doubtfully.

When Logan realized her concern was real and not hypothetical, he moved until he was next to her. He put his arm around her. "Babe, you are carrying my baby. There is not a hotter thing possible for a man, at least for me. I marvel everyday at what's happening to your body. It's exciting to look for the changes and know that it's our baby growing inside of you-something we created. Something wonderful and miraculous," Logan said as he put his hand on her stomach. "I can't wait to feel the first kick. I can't wait to be awakened one night because our little girl is kicking me in the back from inside your tummy."

"Don't you mean our son," Veronica said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Cause you know little Eli is definitely going to be kicking you!"

Logan laughed and groaned at the same time. "You're killing me!" he complained. "How about Elijah?"

Veronica grinned. "Elijah Keith Echolls sounds perfect! We can call him Eli!" she said happily.

Logan closed his eyes in resignation. "Fine. But you're having a girl, so it won't matter. We need to think of some girl names," Logan said.

"If it's a girl, we have to give her the middle name of Lynn after your mother," Veronica said.

"Really? Even though she killed herself, you'd want to name our baby after her?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Of course! I liked your mom, and if it wasn't for her and the qualities you inherited from her, I'm not sure I'd have fallen for you," Veronica told him. "It was your sensitive side that won me over, and we both know you didn't get that from your father."

Logan's eyes darkened at the thought. "No, I didn't. So did you want to name her after your mom?" he suggested. "You were really close to her before she went off the deep end."

"No!" she said quickly.

"Veronica, I think it's time you started looking for your mom. You're about to be a mom, and you'll need her," Logan pointed out.

"She left. She knows where we are. If she wanted to be here with me, she would be. She didn't even reappear when you were shot, and that was all over the news. I was hit by a car, and she didn't appear. So it's obvious that she is so far gone that she doesn't care about me anymore, so why should I care about her?" Veronica asked, upset. Her eyes filled with tears. She brushed them away. She hated how emotional pregnancy made her. It was inconvenient and frustrating.

"But you never give up on the people you love. If one of your friends went off the deep end, you wouldn't abandon them. You'd work day and night to save them. I don't understand this," Logan said, frowning. "I'd want my mom no matter how messed up she was. It's better than her being dead and knowing she'll never return."

"For all I know, my mom is dead," Veronica said flatly. Then she started to cry as that thought hit her. Logan pulled her against him and rubbed her back soothingly.

"You know she isn't. You're dad would know if she was," Logan said. Then he decided right then and there that when he got back to Neptune, he was going to get the ball rolling and find Leanne Mars. Veronica would forgive her mom, and she'd be grateful in the end to have her back.

******_The Next Day*_*****

They had decided to spend Friday at the beach and Saturday at the Malibu Pier. They were going to go surfing after breakfast. Logan let Veronica sleep in and drove down to the diner he'd noticed on the way in. He picked them up some pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Surfing always made him hungry, and he knew Veronica needed to eat for two. While he was waiting for the food, he was looking at the menu and had an idea. He talked to the waitress about it, and she agreed to help him.

A half hour later, he sat his two bags down in the kitchen. He emptied the bags and organized the purchases. He grabbed the breakfast plates and cup carrier that had two coffees and two orange juices and headed upstairs.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!" he announced as he sat the food down on the small table and chairs that was in the room by the balcony doors. He opened them and the ocean breeze came in. Logan loved the smell of the ocean. He breathed it in as Veronica opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she said with a sleepy look. She sat up. "Is that breakfast?"

"Yep. I drove down to the diner we passed when we arrived yesterday. Coffee and juice with pancakes, eggs, and bacon!" Logan said. "Come eat before it gets cold."

Veronica got up eagerly. "I'm starved, so thanks. I always wake up so hungry these days," she remarked as she opened up the coffee and added some sugar. "It's such an improvement over the constant throwing up!"

"That's because you're eating for two!" Logan said with a smile. He opened up the carry-out box and checked the temperature. "It's still hot. There's syrup and butter."

"Perfect!" Veronica said, biting into the bacon. Then she took a sip of her coffee. "I'm so glad the doctor said one cup of coffee would be okay. I'm not sure I could handle quitting cold turkey."

"I'm not sure I could handle you without your caffeine either!" Logan said with a smirk.

"Well, I'm going to quit drinking it soon, so watch out!" she warned.

"So I had the restaurant make us a lunch of cold-sandwiches, chips, cookies, and bottles of water. I figured we can take it down to the beach with us and have a picnic for lunch," Logan said.

"Great idea! I can't remember the last time we did that. Our house is so close to the water that it never seems to make sense to eat by the water when our kitchen is so close and convenient," Veronica remarked.

"I figured we can surf together, and after lunch, I'll surf while you admire me from the sand," Logan said with a grin.

"What are you trying to say? That I'll hold you back?" she asked in mock outrage.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying!" Logan proclaimed.

Veronica laughed. "Fine. I'll bring my I-pod and book," Veronica replied.

"I thought while you were taking your afternoon nap, I'd go down the road and rent us some kayaks. We've never went kayaking together. Does that sound like fun?" Logan asked.

Veronica smiled at the idea. "Yes, that does. It sounds like a perfect day. Then tomorrow we can stroll around the Pier," she suggested.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Logan said. "Now aren't you glad we came?"

"I am. I miss Richie already, but I know he's fine," Veronica said.

"And we'll call Trina tonight and make her get on her computer, so you can see him live," Logan reminded her.

Her smile expanded at the thought. Her day no longer seemed right if she couldn't see him and kiss his sweet little cheek.

They had a great time at the beach. Logan was pleased that Veronica remembered what he'd taught her, and she managed to catch her first wave. They'd only gotten to go surfing a few times since he taught her, and she's never quite been able to ride a wave. She was so stoked about it.

"I can't believe I finally mastered a wave and Dick isn't here to see!" she said as they went to the shore for a break.

"I can't believe you actually wish Dick was here!" Logan said laughing. "Those pregnancy hormones really are messing with your head!"

Veronica shoved him. "You know what I mean! I don't wish he was here, so much as wish he'd seen it. He's always making fun of my little pink board that I love. He won't believe that I didn't wipe out for once!" she said.

"Don't worry, sugarpuss, I'll tell him!" Logan said with a grin. She was so lit up with her excitement and joy in the moment. It was intoxicating watching her. He put down his board and grabbed her. "You are so irresistible!" He gave her a passionate kiss to prove it.

"Whew! If you keep kissing me like that, we might have to cut your surfing time short," she said, giving him a suggestive look.

"Anticipation just makes it better!" he replied with a smug smile. "Besides, I'm starving already. I want to eat one of those sandwiches."

So they agreed to have lunch. A half hour or so later, Logan was back in the water. Veronica dutifully admired him for about ten minutes before she lounged back in the chair and put on her music. Soon she was lost in her book, enjoying another perfect day.

An hour later, Logan convinced Veronica to shower with him to save time. He was reminded of just how sensitive her body was since she became pregnant, and he enjoyed the shower immensely.

"Okay, we're clean!" she complained. "Quit teasing me!"

"Teasing you?" he asked with an innocent look.

"Yes, you know exactly what you were doing! I won't be able to rest now that you've got me all worked up!" she informed him as she cut off the water and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her hair in a towel.

Logan gave her a heated look as he grabbed a towel and wiped off, never taking his eyes off of her. He watched her wrap another towel around her and walk into the bedroom. She was opening a drawer looking for clothes when he came up behind her and planted a kiss on her neck.

"How about I help you relax?" he suggested.

Veronica turned and faced him. "And how do you plan on doing that?" she asked archly.

"By making sweet, slow love to you until your boneless and exhausted," he replied confidently.

"That sounds like a definite possibility. Let's see what you got," she said coyly.

He dropped his towel. She inspected him as if giving him real consideration. "Hmmm. Maybe. What else do you got?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

He got on his knees, yanked down her towel, and proceeded to show her exactly what else he had.

******_*Later that Night*_******

Kayaking had been a blast. "We need to kayak with Dick and Mac. I think it's a water sport that Mac would actually enjoy," Veronica said.

"You're probably right. It doesn't take a lot of athletic skill, so I wouldn't exactly call it a sport. I'm not sure why we've not done it before," Logan said.

"Or kite surfing. We said we'd do that after our trip to Catalina Island, and we haven't yet," Veronica reminded him.

"True. But we have the rest of our lives to do all the things we want to do together," Logan reminded her, giving her a light kiss. They had went to dinner at the local diner instead of going further down the road and finding a nicer place. Veronica was never one to need expensive restaurants.

When they got back to Gary's house, Logan asked with a leer, "Do you wanna try to the hot tub again?"

Veronica flushed thinking about the way he'd pleasured her earlier that afternoon. His mad skills in the bedroom department only seemed to get better. "How about you call Trina first?" she said, knowing if she let him start touching her they'd never leave the bedroom.

Logan grinned and pulled out his phone while Veronica went to get her laptop. A few minutes later they were in front of her computer looking at Trina who was holding Richie in her lap. Trina had his little hand and was waving it at them.

"Hey, sweetie!" Veronica said.

"I don't really think he's old enough to see you, Veronica," Trina said. "Are you guys having fun?"

"Yes, we went surfing and kayaking today," Veronica shared. "I miss your sweet, perfect baby."

Trina grinned. "He misses you. He's been fussy all day," Trina said.

Veronica grinned and elbowed Logan. "Told you he's old enough to notice if we're there or not!" she exclaimed, feeling vindicated.

Logan laughed. "We'll be home Sunday morning, so we can spend the day with him," he said.

"That's fine. Mother Mary wants me to go shopping with her. She's met some guy at some deaf single mixer, and she's very anxious. I told her I'd help doll her up," Trina said, smiling.

Logan knew how much his sister loved to shop and was glad she'd allowed herself to grow close to her birth mother. It was another tie to keep her in Neptune. A part of him was still worried that she'd get a wild burr in her back and decide to go gallivanting around the country and this time take Richie with her. He never discussed his fear with Veronica, but he knew that the thought was in the back of her mind as well.

"That's great, Sis," Logan told her.

"I'm going to put Richie to bed now, so say goodnight," Trina said.

"Good night, Richie! We love you!" Veronica said, waving at the baby.

Logan said goodnight and Trina got offline. He knew seeing Richie would make Veronica sad. Turning to face her, he said, "None of that! You saw him. That's suppose to make you feel better, not worse."

"It did. I just miss him. But I'll be fine. I never knew being around a baby would affect me so much," she said sardonically.

"I know what you mean. He's my first baby, too. Babies are amazing things. Soon we'll have our own little girl for him to play with!" Logan enthused.

"You mean boy! I'm telling you, it's a boy. Mothers know these things," she said airily.

Logan laughed. "We never did pick any girl names. How about Emily?" Logan suggested.

"Emily Lynn Echolls. That sounds nice. We should get a baby book," Veronica said.

"Most definitely," Logan said. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I'm sure we can think of something," Veronica said, smiling as she wrapped her arms around Logan's neck.

"I know I can," he said as he kissed her.

****_*Saturday*****_*

Logan and Veronica were holding hands and strolling alone the Malibu Pier. Logan was excited to show her the official Surfrider Beach that the Malibu Pier boasted. The pier was less crowded than the Santa Monica Pier.

"This is nice. A great view," Veronica remarked as they looked around.

"So right over there is the spot," Logan said pointing. He pulled her over and peered down.

"What are we looking at?" Veronica asked.

"That idiot Jack Osbourne thought he could fly and jumped off the pier right here," Logan said with a smirk.

"Really? Attempted suicide?" Veronica asked.

"No, not even he is that stupid. It's not high enough to kill you, but he did succeed in breaking his arm. The moron," Logan said with disdain. "Spoiled sons of rock stars are really annoying."

"Yeah, I'm sure there so much worse than spoiled sons of Oscar winning actors," Veronica said with a smirk.

"Hey, I'd never been dumb enough to jump off this," Logan said.

"Yes, but Dick would. And didn't Duncan jump off the bleachers at school?" Veronica reminded him with a grin.

"That's what happens when you go kissing other guys!" Logan insisted with a grin. "Poor Duncan saw you kissing Troy and went nuts! I can relate!"

Veronica laughed. "Guys are so dumb sometimes!" she commented. "Hey, there's dolphins!" They looked and watched some dolphins jump up. Veronica was delighted. "I bet Lily would love coming here. Duncan told me they were going to the carnival yesterday."

"It's still there. We can take Richie tomorrow afternoon if you'd like," Logan offered.

"He's really too young. Next year," she said, smiling at the thought of getting to show him his firsts. "Logan, do you think Trina's going to stick around? What if she decides to leave and takes Richie? I don't think I could deal very well with that."

"Well, the thought has occurred to me, too. But she's spending time with her mother, she's working, and she seems more content than I've ever seen her. So I'm hoping that won't happen. Plus, if she ever wants to travel, I'm sure she won't want to drag Richie with her," Logan said.

"You think she'd leave him with us?" Veronica asked, hopeful.

"I do," he said.

"Although I'd prefer that over her taking him, what will that do to him if his mom is always leaving him all the time? I don't want him raised the way you and she were," Veronica stated.

"Me either. Let's wait and worry about it if something comes up with Trina. I'm really proud of how far she's come and that we have Richie," Logan said.

"Yeah, who would've thought? Sometimes people can surprise you," Veronica observed. "Oh, let's go check out the gift shop. There's also the Lagoo Museum. It sounds lame, but we might as well check it out while we're here."

"I've been there before. It is lame, but there's worse things," Logan said. He was just content to be with her and enjoy the day. It was great not having to worry about anything for a few days and have her all to himself.

*****_*That Night*_******

After another great day together and a good meal at Beachcomber, they went back to the their borrowed beach house.

Logan was stripping down to the boxers he normally slept in when Veronica opened up her bag and pulled out a wrapped box. She looked pleased with herself. "So I got something for you. Consider it an engagement gift or another birthday gift," Veronica said.

Logan was surprised. "Really? But I didn't buy you anything yet. I was going to wait until it was closer to the wedding," Logan said.

"I don't need any expensive gifts. The ring you got me is perfect. Besides, this didn't cost me much. And I love being the one to give you something for a change. And you are the one with a birthday," Veronica said with satisfaction.

"Yes, but you got me a new waterproof, surfer watch," Logan said, indicating it.

"That's so you don't lose track of time and forget about me when you're out surfing," Veronica said. "It was kind of a selfish gift. This isn't."

Logan opened up the box and found a 5x7 double picture frame. There was a picture inside each of the frames. One was a shot of him and Trina playing with Richie. Logan didn't think he'd ever seen a picture of him with his sister that captured them so candidly. Not to mention so happy. The look of joy as they both looked down at Richie was plain to see. It was an incredible shot. He looked up at Veronica. "Wow! This picture is unbelievable!" he exclaimed. "It's even better than the last one you took."

"I know. Richie's eyes are actually open, and you can see his sweet face better. I couldn't believe it when the pictures were developed. I was snapping so many pictures. I know Trina will want a copy of it, too, but I wanted to surprise you with it," Veronica said proudly.

"Thanks!" He glanced at the other picture that was connected to it. It was of him and Veronica holding Richie. Logan had his arm around her while she held the baby. She was looking happily down at the baby while Logan was looking at her. Someone had captured the normal look of adoration he had on his face when he looked at her.

"Mac took this one. She knew I'd want it. I thought both pictures side by side was perfect," Veronica said.

"It is. It's perfect," Logan said, pleased.

"We are definitely going to have to pose for some family Christmas pictures this year. It will be Richie's first. Think we can get Dick to sit still long enough?" she asked with grin.

Logan loved the fact that she knew he'd want Dick in any family photo they took. Since Cassidy died, Logan had become so much more than Dick's best friend. Even though Dick had reconnected with his dad, Logan knew that Dick thought of Logan as his brother. They couldn't be closer if they were blood related. "We can make him hold the baby," he suggested, making her laugh at the thought.

He put the picture on the nightstand and turned to her. "I'm going to have to work extra hard to repay you for such a thoughtful gift. I know just what to do," he said.

"You do?" she inquired with an arch of her eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips.

"I do," he said confidently. He bent down and kissed her shoulder. Then he moved his lips up her neck, causing her to sigh in contentment. "You have on too much clothes." He reached down and pulled up the t-shirt she was wearing. Her pink bra caused him to smile. "Although I love the new bra, it's going to have to go, too." He adeptly unsnapped it and pulled it away.

Veronica smiled and helped him by standing up and stepping out of her jeans. When she was wearing only her panties, she moved and straddled him, his growing desire for her pushing against her core. She purposely wiggled against him, causing him to groan.

He laid back on the bed and quickly moved and had her on her back. "Now this is more like it," he said, grinning in satisfaction. He ran a hand down her body, admiring her. "Have I told you today how beautiful you are?"

"No, you haven't," she said, pleased with him.

"You are exquisite," he said with admiration.

"You're kind of cute yourself," she said with a cheeky grin.

"I love you," Logan said, no longer in the mood to flirt, captivating her with his intensity.

"I know you do. I love you, too," she said softly. She raised a hand briefly to his cheek.

"Marry me," he said.

"I will," she vowed.

"No matter what," he said, a hint of question in his voice.

"No matter what. You're stuck with me," she said, smiling.

"There are worse things," he said, smiling again. Then he began to kiss her, reminding her of one of the many reasons she was so crazy about him.

*******_Sunday Back in Neptune***_****

When they arrived back home, and Veronica was busy playing with Richie, Logan stepped outside on the patio to make a phone call.

"Yo," Weevil said. "What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if I could hire you for a job," Logan told him.

"Really? Sure," Weevil said in surprise and curiosity.

"The thing is, I don't want it to get around to Veronica," Logan said.

Weevil snickered. "Like you can keep secrets from her," he said.

"That will be your job. I want you to track down her mother. She's going to have a baby, and she'll need her mom with her when the time comes," Logan said. "I'd ask Keith, but I'm not sure he should be the one doing it now that he's happily married to someone else."

"Good point. We'll get started on it. I'll tell Jason not to say anything to his sister," Weevil said.

"Thanks. And when you locate her, I want to know what kind of condition she's in before we tell Veronica. So let me know. Don't tell her anything," Logan warned.

"Got it. Not a problem," Weevil replied.

"I don't know what would be worse. Finding her mom sober and healthy and knowing she just didn't want to see Veronica or finding her bombed out of her mind," Logan said.

"Knowing Veronica, the second choice. No one wants to think a parent doesn't love them enough to want to be a part of their life," Weevil said.

"I know but Leanne Mars is going to get her act together and come home. I know that no matter what Veronica says, she wants her mother in her life. And I'm going to make sure it happens," Logan said grimly.

"I'll get started on it," Weevil said, hanging up.

Logan put up his phone and went back inside. He watched Veronica with Richie. It was his new favorite sight. She was going to be so great with her own child, but he knew Veronica better than anyone. She would want her mother to be there when the baby was born. And he would find her mother for her. He knew if their positions were reversed, she'd do the same for him.

****_*Chapter End**_****

_For some reason I wasn't inspired to include any steamy bedroom scenes. Sorry if you were disappointed! :) Let me know how much you liked this chapter! FYI: The Jack Osbourne story about the Malibu Pier is true.  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**I am very pleased with the response I've gotten for the first few chapters. Thanks to all of you who have made time to review. If you log in, I can reply to your reviews. I think you'll enjoy this one.**

Chapter 4: Picture Perfect

*******_Monday Morning on Campus*_*****

Logan and Veronica walked into their mythology class and greeted Dick and Mac.

"Did you two have fun?" Mac asked as they sat down.

"Lots and lots," Veronica said, smiling. "I guess you and Dick had your own special weekend, huh? Trina said Dick stayed gone."

Mac smiled. "His dad was out of town, so we spent some very nice alone time at his dad's house," Mac shared.

"We had lots and lots of fun ourselves!" Dick said with a wide grin and a wink.

"_We_ had fun in and _out_ of the bedroom," Logan said boastfully.

"Yep! I caught a wave," Veronica told Dick. Her pleasure at this accomplishment was obvious.

Dick looked at Logan, who nodded proudly. Dick grinned. "Another hot surfer chick is born!" he exclaimed, giving her a high five.

"We also went kayaking. Mac, I think you'd like that. It doesn't take as much out of you, and it's fun," Veronica said.

"I've been white water rafting with my family, so I could handle kayaking," Mac said.

"So Trina's starting back to work today," Logan told Mac and Dick.

"Sweet!" Dick said. "Mac and I already set up a crib for the little man."

"I think getting out of the house will be good for her," Veronica stated.

"Yes, I think so, too," Mac said. "Oh, Lauren wanted me to invite you two to her sweet sixteen party. It's the first weekend in November. Since it's right after Halloween, it's a costume party."

"Ooh, that'll be fun. I haven't been to a costume party in a while. We can do a couple's costume," Veronica said to Logan.

"Oh joy!" Logan said without enthusiasm.

"I'm trying to convince Mac that we can go as Tarzan and Jane, but so far she's resisting," Dick said, grinning.

"Not going to happen, Dick," Mac said firmly.

"How about I dress as Batman and you as Catwoman?" Dick asked hopefully.

Mac shook her head. "Keep trying," she said grinning. Eventually, Dick would realize she wasn't going to dress in anything skimpy, especially not at a party hosted by the Sinclairs and with her parents in attendance.

Before he could suggest more, the professor came in, and their discussion was cut off.

******_Lunchtime*_******

Veronica had made plans to have lunch with Wallace. Ever since the fight they had before her car "accident," she'd been trying to be a better sister and friend. Luckily, there hadn't been any new scandals or problems since Sorokin had left town. Of course, it'd only been a few weeks, so she couldn't get too excited. However, she was hopeful things would keep getting better for everyone.

Wallace found her as she was eating her hamburger. He examined the amount of food on her tray. Besides the burger and fries, she had a salad, fruit bowl, and a piece of chocolate cake.

"It's a good thing you're pregnant or I'd begin to wonder," Wallace said as he sat down, gesturing to her food with a smile.

"Well, I've mostly gotten through the morning sickness, and now I feel famished all the time," Veronica said with a sheepish grin.

"That's how boys feel all the time. Supposedly, it slows down by the time we're twenty-five," Wallace said. "My momma always said she would've saved money if she'd had daughters."

"Not so. They would've required a lot more money for clothes!" Veronica replied.

"True," Wallace said.

"Tell Thea thanks for the tip. I called this morning and got an appointment for an ultra-sound," Veronica told him excitedly.

"Cool!" Wallace said.

"I really like your new friend. She's full of useful information. Trina hadn't bothered to mention the first ultra-sound. But she didn't arrive home until she was way past that," Veronica said.

"Thea's pretty awesome. Wicked smart. I aced my midterms thanks to her," Wallace shared, proud.

"Good for you. I did pretty good myself. I need to keep my grades up because I may have trouble in the spring since I'll be having the baby at the end of the semester," Veronica said.

"I still can't believe you're having a baby," Wallace said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Me either," she remarked. Then she grinned. "So tell me about Thea. Any potential romance there? You seemed to give her all your attention at the party last week."

Wallace grinned. "Well, there's not much to tell. Thea isn't like other girls. I tried to ask her out, but she was sort of oblivious," Wallace admitted.

"Really? She failed to fall for your obvious charms?" Veronica teased.

"I'm just glad Dick wasn't around to see me crash and burn. It was very pathetic," Wallace remarked in embarrassment.

"So she's single? Not dating anyone?" Veronica asked.

"No. I don't think she has a lot of experience. She went to an intense college prep high school, so I don't think she spent much time dating. She's a senior, but she's younger than us. I think it's made her a bit behind in the social department," Wallace explained.

Veronica nodded. "She's not your usual type. She's very serious and focused. More intense than even Mac and Jason," Veronica said.

"Jason? I'm not so sure about that. He just hides it better. But yeah, she isn't like any other girl I've ever known. I guess that's why I like her. You know how I wanted to spend that summer in Africa? Give back? Well, her parents do that kind of stuff all the time. Her dad is with Doctor Without Borders. He flies his own plane to remote villages. Her mom is a nurse. They devote themselves to saving lives in the most horrible circumstances. She wants to be just like them, and it's no act. She's incredible," Wallace said in admiration.

"You're starting to make me feel selfish and privileged! I'm no 09er!" Veronica complained with a smile.

"Tell me about it! She challenges me like no one I've ever known. I know that she's out of my league in many ways. I'll never be as smart as she is. But after Jackie and that nightmare with Julie, it's great just being with someone that is so real and so focused. She's without pretense. She knows what she wants, and nothing and no one will stop her from achieving her goals. I want to be like that," Wallace shared.

"Well, if you really like her, take your time with her. Let her get to know you. If she's as inexperienced as you say, slow is best," Veronica advised.

"It's just great meeting someone new that I enjoy being with. She has no baggage that I can see. I mean she's got a big, loud Greek family, but she adores them. Being in a sorority seems to be the biggest cross she bears," Wallace said.

"Hey, Mac's sister is having a sweet sixteen costume party a few days after Halloween. I'm sure it'll be fine for you to come, too. Bring Thea. Since it's not a college party, it should have less expectations. More fun. Casual," Veronica suggested. "I'll clear it with Mac."

"Cool. I'll ask. Thanks," Wallace said. "So I got a favor to ask you. I need you to use your influence with Weevil."

"Didn't you spend all summer with him? Shouldn't you have your own influence by now?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, but he, like most men, is physically incapable of saying no to you," Wallace replied with a wide grin.

"What's the favor?" Veronica asked curious.

"Piz is coming back to Neptune, and he needs a place to stay until the semester ends, and he can get back into the dorms. I thought since Jason and Weevil have an extra bedroom, they may be open to letting him crash there," Wallace said.

"Piz with Weevil? Are you insane? He'd be miserable with Jason and Weevil. Talk about having nothing in common!" Veronica said.

"They both don't like Duncan. Maybe they'll bond or something," Wallace said. "Please, ask."

"I don't think it's a good idea, but I can ask," Veronica said. "If Piz is coming back, I'll need to prepare Parker. Piz hasn't called her once since she's been gone. Now that she's trying to move on, he suddenly wants to come back? Duncan is crazy about her. He deserves to be happy with someone like her."

"So does Piz. He misses her and knows he made a mistake," Wallace defended. "If you hadn't done such a number on Piz to begin with, he wouldn't be so insecure."

Veronica was taken back by his unexpected dig. When she gave him a hurt look, he looked repentant. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be hurtful. I know you didn't mean to hurt Piz, but you not only dated him when you were still in love with Logan, you continued after your F.B.I. internship. You kind of used him as a shield from Logan. Am I wrong?" he asked.

Veronica was silent a minute before replying. Then she sighed. "You're right. I did. I knew it was wrong to go out with him the first time I kissed him. But he was sweet, and it was obvious he liked me. I wanted to be with someone like him. Someone safe. Someone that I knew wouldn't be able to rip me apart," Veronica confessed. "I just don't want to see Parker hurt more than she has been."

"Don't worry. Piz is going to call her this week before he comes. You won't have to tell her. He's spending a few days with his family before flying into Neptune this weekend. That's why I want you to talk to Weevil," Wallace said. "I'll call them, too, but I wanted you to mention it first. Sweeten the way."

Veronica laughed. "Fine. I'll do it. But if Piz leaves traumatized, it's on you!" she said.

"It's only for two months. How bad could it be?" Wallace wondered.

******_The Next Day (Tuesday)**_****

Daisy was waiting for Veronica outside of their profiling class on Tuesday morning. Veronica could tell by looking at her that she was in a very good mood.

"Hey, chica!" she called out to Veronica.

"Hey, yourself! Someone's in a very good mood," Veronica observed.

"I figured that you shouldn't be the only one glowing this early in the morning," Daisy said smug.

"Oh, tell me! What's got you glowing? Is it the same thing that has me glowing some mornings?" Veronica asked with a knowing grin.

"If it's mind-blowing sex with the most beautiful man on campus, then yes, it is," Daisy announced.

Veronica laughed. "You can't possibly be having sex with the most beautiful man on campus since I know for a fact, he was making love to _me_ Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and last night! I gave him Sunday off," she said airily.

Daisy snickered. "We could compare notes and see which guy comes out the winner," she suggested with a cheeky grin.

"You're newly involved. I wouldn't want to crush your eagerness so soon!" Veronica informed her.

Daisy laughed. "So you had a nice time in Malibu, I take it?" Daisy asked.

"The best. I'll tell you about it later. First, I want to hear all about your latest conquest. I take it that Jason has finally been conquered?" Veronica asked with a mischievous grin.

"Most definitely! I decided he'd suffered long enough. He stood up for me with his sister, and I didn't think that'd ever happen. He even made her apologize for calling me a floozy," Daisy said.

"You know she's so hostile because she's convinced you're going to break her brother's heart, right? It's not you so much as this irrational fear she has about you," Veronica said.

"Jazmin wears rose-colored glasses when it comes to her brother. He isn't perfect. I'm the one that's taking the risk here," Daisy said.

They walked into class. "Well, I'm happy that you and Jason worked it out. You're perfect together," Veronica said.

Jason arrived for class. He gave Daisy an enthusiastic kiss hello. Keeping his arm around her, he greeted Veronica.

"So, Jay, Wallace mentioned to me that Piz, his old roommate, is coming back to Neptune this weekend and needs a place to stay until the end of the semester. He wanted me to talk to Weevil about it. But since you're here, would you be open to having someone stay in your extra bedroom?" Veronica asked.

Jason shrugged. "It's fine with me. Eli's the one who's upstairs next to the extra bedroom. He'd have less privacy, so you'll need to clear it with him," Jason said.

"I'm sure you mastered the art of sweet-talking before you were twelve," Daisy said with a knowing grin.

"True," Veronica replied with a smirk. "Duncan's not going to be happy Piz is coming back."

"That will make Eli very happy to hear!" Jason exclaimed with a grin.

"For some reason, Wallace thought you guys would feel that way," Veronica said with a disgruntled look. "Duncan's a great guy. He deserves to be happy, too."

"Never said he wasn't or that he didn't," Jason said diplomatically.

Daisy laughed at his clever side-step as their class started.

Veronica was worried about the fall-out of Piz's return. However, it warmed her to see Daisy and Jason so happy finally.

****_*Lunch**_****

Jazmin was eating lunch and doing some school work when David approached her table. She glanced at him warily. "Hey," she said.

"Hello. Do you mind if I eat with you?" David asked.

Jazmin didn't feel right saying no. After all, if she hadn't been so willing to go out with him in order to make Eli jealous, his crush might've faded sooner.

"Sure," she said. "I was just doing some reading for one of my classes."

"That's fine. Don't mind me. I just hate sitting by myself during any meal time. Makes me too homesick," he admitted somewhat bashfully.

Jazmin allowed herself to relax because he wasn't giving her that intent look he normally did. In fact, he just seemed to be treating her like a friend. Something she had been hoping he'd eventually be able to do. "Did you go home for fall break?" she asked.

"No. We had a game that Friday. I'm going to go home for Thanksgiving," David said.

"My first semester here was tough because Jason wasn't here, and my Thanksgiving flight got canceled. I didn't get to go home until Christmas. It was the longest I'd ever spent away from him," Jazmin said.

"You're not close to your parents?" David asked as he ate his lunch.

"Not particularly. My dad and I have gotten a bit closer recently. But it's always just been Jason and I against the world. He's my best friend," Jazmin said.

"I have a brother I could say that about. It's good for you that he's here now," David observed.

"Yes. It's been great. Now I don't mind so much being away from home," Jazmin said. "How did your midterms go?"

"Good. The team has these cram study sessions that seem to work. A few players are in a fraternity, and they bring old tests. That helps narrow down the studying. I'm in no danger of losing my scholarship," David said happily.

"That's good," Jazmin said with a smile. It was great that he could finally act normal around her. She saw Thea carrying a tray and waved her over.

Thea stopped and smiled. "Hi, Jazmin. It's good to see you," she said.

"You, too. Do you want to join us?" Jazmin asked. "I'm almost ready to go, but you can visit for a few minutes." She missed David's displeasure at the invitation; however, Thea's watchful eyes didn't.

"Thanks, but I need to get some work done while I eat. We'll have to have lunch some other time," Thea suggested.

"Definitely," Jazmin said.

"It's good to see you again, David," Thea said politely.

"You, too," David said. She walked away and sat at a nearby table. "I really don't see what Wallace sees in her. She's not even pretty."

"Some guys see more than just looks when they look at a woman," Jazmin said.

"Maybe. But it doesn't mean they don't notice or appreciate a beautiful one when they see her," David said, his expression making it clear that he was appreciating her.

"When the looks fade, what is left? Relationships between a man and woman must have more than just physical attraction," Jazmin said. She hated when people only saw her as just another pretty face.

"Well, it's even better when a woman is beautiful, intelligent, _and_ kind like you," David said with a smile.

Jazmin didn't acknowledge his compliment, not wanting to encourage him. "Wallace obviously sees that Thea has qualities other women he's dated didn't have. Even me," Jazmin said.

"Wallace was a fool to let you go! I wouldn't have made that mistake," David declared.

"Yeah, well, Wallace and I weren't meant to be together. That much is clear. And I'm very happy with Eli," she said. She was ready to end the conversation that had suddenly become uncomfortable, so she closed her textbook. "I'm going to have to go. It was good running into you."

"Yes. Thanks for letting me join you," David said easily. He gave her a friendly smile and wave goodbye.

Jazmin waved goodbye at Thea as she walked by Thea's table. Thea was looking at the table Jazmin vacated, so she noticed the very satisfied expression on David's face as he watched Jazmin leave. Finding Jazmin at a table with David had been surprising. Of course, she knew that it was innocent on Jazmin's part. Most likely, David had sat down uninvited and unencouraged. Thea had a beautiful sister who had once had the misfortune of attracting a guy who didn't understand the word no. Like David, the guy seemed harmless at first, but he never took her sister's rejection seriously. Some guys didn't know when to quit or understand that some woman meant what they said. Thea couldn't help but worry about her newly reacquainted friend. Would David become a real problem?

******_*Wednesday Morning**_*******

Logan and Veronica were at the doctor's office getting her very first ultra-sound picture. "I am so excited!" Veronica exclaimed as they were waiting for the doctor. Veronica was laying on the table, and Logan was sitting down next to her.

"Not to put a damper on your enthusiasm, sugarpuss, but have you ever seen an ultra-sound picture before? It's not like a real photo. They're kind of weird-looking," Logan cautioned.

"I know it's not a baby picture like we take of Richie, but it will be tangible proof of our baby. Plus, we can hear the heartbeat," Veronica said happily.

The doctor came in. "Hello. It's good to see you again, Veronica. I'm Dr. Angela Farris," she said to Logan.

"This is Logan Echolls, my fiancée," Veronica said. It was the first time she had gotten to introduce Logan as her fiancée. Everyone at school and home already knew. She exchanged a glance with Logan and could tell the significance wasn't lost on him. He flashed her a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you," Logan said.

"So you want to see your baby?" Dr. Angela asked with a friendly smile.

"Yes. Why didn't you mention this last month?" Veronica asked.

"Well, we don't usually mention it the first appointment. Most people are too focused on the impending parenthood to plan the ultra-sound. And many only want one when they've reached eighteen weeks, which is how far along you must be in order to determine gender," the doctor explained as she moved the machine closer.

"We're very excited about our baby and want to see what's going on inside," Veronica said eagerly.

The doctor smiled. "I'm happy for you both. Now this gel will be cold," she said.

A minute later, an image appeared on the screen. The doctor explained what they were looking at. Logan squeezed Veronica's hand, filled with emotion. Although the image barely looked like anything to him, knowing that it was the baby they created was overwhelming.

"Now the heartbeat," the doctor said as the very fast thumping noise was suddenly heard.

"Is it supposed to be that fast?" Veronica asked anxiously.

"Yes," the doctor replied.

"And there's only one inside of there, right?" Logan asked worriedly.

The doctor smiled as his question. "Yes, there's only one," she said.

"Thank God!" Logan said in relief.

The doctor looked at the image. "Everything looks just fine. In another ten weeks, we'll be able to tell you the sex."

"It's our baby!" Veronica said to Logan, her voice filled with emotion.

"Why don't I give you two a minute alone?" the doctor said. She quietly slipped away and left them alone.

"It's incredible!" Logan agreed. He leaned down and kissed Veronica. "Our little girl is going to be as beautiful and troublesome as her momma!"

Veronica smiled, her eyes filling with tears. She wiped them and said, "I'm telling you it's a boy!"

He smiled, so happy that he didn't mind if he had a son that he had to name after Eli. "I love you so much that it doesn't matter if it's a boy! I never thought I could be so happy, feel so perfectly content. It scares me," he admitted, his voice choking with emotion.

"We're finally going to have the future we've been hoping for," Veronica said. "I am so glad you never gave up on it, on us. I love you."

Logan had no choice but to kiss her again. He refused to let the small voice of negativity grow louder. This was finally their time. Soon they would be married, and then the baby would be born. Nothing and no one was going to get in the way of their happiness. Logan would move heaven and earth to make sure Veronica finally got everything she wanted and deserved-what they both deserved.

***_**Chapter End***_***

_I love your reviews like a cop loves his donuts! :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm bringing in a bit of drama with this chapter. The drama will really heat up in the next chapter. Those of you that are worried about LoVe's happiness being taken away, I wanted to let you know I have happy times for them through at least through chapter 11 (haven't written further than that yet). So you can relax and just enjoy the bliss for a bit! :)**

**Thanks for those that have taken time to review the previous chapters. It keeps me motivated!**

Chapter 5: The Worst Kind of Surprise

****_**The Same Wednesday Morning*_*****

After they left the doctor's, Veronica and Logan went to their mythology class armed with a new photo to show off to their friends.

As always, Dick and Mac were already in class before they got there. "Look what I have!" Veronica said excitedly as she waved the ultra-sound photo.

"You got the ultra-sound?" Mac asked.

"Yes. It was so amazing! We got to hear the heartbeat and everything!" Veronica shared, handing Mac the photo.

"You're going to be a dad! How cool is that?" Dick said to Logan.

"It's very cool!" Logan agreed. "And I'm happy to report there is only one bun in her oven!"

They laughed at his announcement.

"He's got your nose!" Mac said to Logan. She knew that Veronica and Logan were at odds over the sex of their unborn child and couldn't resist teasing him.

"He does? I wanna see!" Dick insisted. Grinning mischievously, Mac handed the photo to Dick, who examined the photo with a confused frown. "I don't get it. How's this a baby? And how does he look like Logan?"

"It's a girl!" Logan insisted for the hundredth time.

"It doesn't look like anything but a big blob!" Dick said perplexed.

"How can you sat that?" Veronica asked outraged. "You're blind! There's the head and there's the itty-bitty feet!" She pointed it out on the photo.

Dick looked at Mac with a "help me" expression. "It's not easy for some to see it," Mac said.

"Whatever!" Veronica said insulted, taking the photo back.

Logan couldn't help but laugh at Dick's expression.

After class, the four of them were coming out of their classroom building when Veronica said, "I feel a bout of morning sickness coming on."

Logan looked at her in concern but relaxed when he realized she meant something by her comment because she was focused on a person.

Madison Sinclair was walking toward them. She looked annoyed when she spotted the four of them. Dick, of course, waved. "Hey, Maddie!" he bellowed.

"Haven't you taught him to be rude to all bitches in heat?" Veronica asked Mac.

"She's Lauren's sister. We have to be nice," Mac said in warning.

"Dick, why must you be so loud?" Madison asked in annoyance. She gave Mac a nod of acknowledgment but saved her ire for Veronica. "I see you're not fat yet."

Veronica patted her stomach in too good a mood to let Madison bother her at all. "Nope, not yet," she replied happily.

"Not for lack of trying!" Logan teased, planting a kiss on Veronica's cheek.

"So what are you going to dress up as at your sis's party?" Dick asked Madison.

"I haven't decided," Madison said. "If my parents keep canceling my credit cards, I might not dress up at all." She pointed a glare at Mac.

"How is that my fault?" Mac asked.

"If you weren't so ****ing perfect, they wouldn't be suddenly expecting me to measure up to your impossible standards!" Madison informed her.

"She is pretty perfect!" Dick agreed proudly, throwing his arms around her shoulders.

"Maybe you should be less of a screw-up!" Veronica stated, not liking the sudden attack on Mac.

Mac gently elbowed her in the side. "I'm sorry, Madison. I can help you study if you'd like," she offered, always diplomatic.

"It's the least you can do since you've screwed up my life," Madison said with a sniff. "But it's her fault more than yours. She always has to butt into other people's business." Madison glared at Veronica.

"It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it!" Veronica said unapologetic.

"Some secrets are better left alone!" Madison stated sourly. If Veronica hadn't been digging up dirt on Mac's parents, she wouldn't have uncovered the baby switch. Although Madison knew Lauren could be dead if not for Mac, it didn't make her appreciate the upheaval in her life. Nor did it make her inclined to look favorably at Veronica Mars, whom she hated with every fiber of her being. Veronica was the reason things always seemed to go wrong. Lilly Kane chose her over Madison. Duncan and Logan chose her over Madison. Sometimes it even seemed that even Lauren liked her better than Madison, who was her sister. Now, of course, the truth was out and there was even no blood ties between her and Lauren. No real reason for Lauren to love her best. It didn't stop Madison from feeling like her sister though and resenting the fact that she had to now share her sister and her life with Mac. And Mac seemed determined to bring Veronica Mars into their sister's life. Madison could deal with Mac. Aside from her academic superiority, she was unobtrusive and no real competition in looks or style. However, Madison could not and would not tolerate Veronica Mars in her life. If she had to put up with Veronica for Lauren's sake, she definitely wouldn't be nice about it.

"If you hadn't had such a screwed up life in high school, maybe you wouldn't have been so determined to rip apart others with your so-called investigations," Madison said in disgust.

"We've got class," Logan said, stepping in before things got out of hand and Veronica could respond. "Pleasant as always, Madison." He grabbed Veronica's hand and dragged her away before a full blown cat fight broke out.

"So you're flunking, huh?" Dick asked Madison.

"I'm failing biology and history. They're my last two general ed classes I kept putting off. Science is always hard for me, and I can't remember dates," Madison admitted.

"Me either, but Mackie is good at helping me. You should let her help you," Dick suggested. "I gotta go. Catch you babes later!" He gave Mac a quick kiss on the cheek and waved at Madison.

"I'm free Saturday morning if you want me to come by and help you study," Mac offered.

Madison grimaced but knew she was drowning. It'd be foolish to reject the lifesaver Mac was throwing her. She swallowed her pride and nodded. "Okay. Thanks," Madison said.

Mac knew that the revelation of the paternity switch had been devastating to Madison. Mac had a few years to get used to it, but Madison had not. With Lauren's illness, Madison had been forced to just deal with it. Mac couldn't help but feel a bit responsible for what Madison was going through. It wouldn't be that much of a trial to tutor Madison. Maybe it'd help Madison lose some of her hostility. Mac's mom was trying so hard to connect with Madison, but she wasn't making it easy for her mom. If Madison started doing better in school, maybe she'd thaw out some. Mac laughed as she went to her next class. She wasn't really that naive, but she could hope. Dick's natural optimism had obviously rubbed off on her!

*****_Thursday Morning*_****

Mac and Jazmin were in their kitchen having breakfast when Parker joined them. She seemed a bit dazed.

"Are you okay?" Jazmin asked in concern.

"I'm not sure. I didn't get much sleep," Parker admitted. "I was on the phone last night until three in the morning."

"With whom?" Mac asked. "Duncan?"

"No. Piz," Parker revealed as she sat down in a kitchen chair.

"Really? What did he say?" Jazmin asked.

"He misses me. He's sorry. He loves me, and he's going to come back," Parker said succinctly, surprising her roommates. She sat down at the table.

Mac got up to pour her a cup of coffee. "Here. You need this. Tell us everything," she ordered, sitting back down.

"I can hardly believe it. I'm still in shock," Parker said.

"When's he coming?" Jazmin inquired.

"Actually, he's flying in tomorrow afternoon. He's staying with your brother. Didn't he or Eli tell you?" Parker asked.

"I haven't seen Jason the past few days, but Eli was grumbling about blue-eyed blondes and their devil deals," Jazmin shared smiling. "I was working on my portfolio and figured Veronica and he were doing something with work, so I didn't ask any questions."

"You aren't nosy enough!" Parker scalded.

"When it comes to your juicy love life, I am! So what about Duncan? Are you just going to let Piz come back after what he put you through?" Jazmin asked a bit surprised.

Parker sighed. "I know. It's insane. I never thought I'd be in this position," she admitted.

"Do you still love Piz?" Mac asked, getting to the most important point.

Parker nodded. "I do. I mean does real love ever go away completely? Can it go away in two months? I am not just going to fall back into bed with him or anything, but how can I not give him a chance?" Parker asked.

Jazmin and Mac exchanged concerned glances. They both cared about Duncan and knew this would really hurt him. "I can understand that, but I can't help but feel bad for Duncan. He's crazy about you," Mac said.

"Much more than he was with me, I think," Jazmin said.

"And it took him months to get over you," Mac added.

Parker put her head in her hands. "I really can't believe this is happening," she groaned.

"Well, relationships are tricky," Mac said in sympathy.

Parker looked up. "What am I going to do?" she asked. "I don't want to hurt Duncan. He's been amazing to me. He's not pushed me. He's been so patient and just wonderful."

"Then maybe you need to let Piz go and focus on what's here in front of you. A life with Duncan," Jazmin suggested.

"I'm not ready to do that. Piz and I didn't fall apart because we had a bad relationship. He was insecure because of that stupid kiss with Duncan and couldn't get past it. When I went to Italy on Duncan's plane, he made more out of it. His jealousy got the better of him. The job offer was an easy excuse for not fighting for us," Parker said.

"So now he's wanting to fight and all is forgiven?" Jazmin asked doubtfully. She could never be so understanding.

"He made a mistake," Parker defended. "Veronica and Mac both forgave Logan and Dick for worse mistakes. He forgave me for kissing Duncan. How could I not give him a chance to make it right?"

"No one is going to blame you for wanting to work things out with Piz. He's a good guy," Mac said. She'd spent enough time with him to know. Jazmin didn't really know him.

"Well, if Piz's is arriving tomorrow, you're going to have to tell Duncan today," Jazmin said.

"I know. I will," Parker said. "I'm going to jump in the shower. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Good luck," Mac said. "We'll be here when you get home if you need to talk some more."

"Poor Duncan," Jazmin said after Parker left. "I know he really likes Parker. He's not going to take this very well at all."

Mac knew she was right, and she hated that no matter what Parker did someone would get hurt. Life was like that sometimes. Sometimes you could do everything right and still end up hurt and disappointed.

****_**Lunchtime*_******

Parker waited nervously for Duncan at the Java Hut. She didn't want to have this conversation with so many people around. She remembered distinctly what happened when Jazmin had a similar conversation with Duncan in the school cafeteria. It would be better to have the conversation off campus completely, but they both had classes to go to still. Parker didn't want to put it off in case Jason or someone else said something to him about Piz's return.

Duncan spotted her in a quiet table in the back of the restaurant. "Hey!" he said, smiling. "I'm glad you suggested this. I like seeing more of you during the week. Last week was great. We got to spend a lot of time together. Lily's still talking about the carnival."

Parker gave him a bittersweet smile. Feelings of guilt swamped her. How could she hurt this wonderful man? She had liked him ever since she first spotted him in the school cafeteria almost a year ago. "Duncan, I wanted to have lunch, so I could talk to you about something," she said tentatively.

Duncan could see that she was serious and anxious. He grew concerned. "Alright. Is everything okay?" he asked. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

Strengthening her resolve, Parker slowly pulled her hand back. "No. Not really. Piz called me last night. He's coming back to Neptune," she said, not wanting to drag this out.

Duncan was taken aback by her announcement. He wasn't sure what this meant, but his sudden sense of foreboding didn't reassure him. "I see," he said cautiously. "How do you feel about that?"

"Well, I'm surprised. You know I haven't had any communication with him since I left New York. Not even an email," Parker shared.

"But he's suddenly coming back now? In the middle of the semester?" Duncan asked.

"He said he misses me, and he knows he made the biggest mistake of his life," Parker said.

Duncan was listening to her, but he couldn't believe what she was getting at. Was she really going to just let Piz walk back in her life?

"So what does that mean? Do you want to be with him again?" Duncan asked.

Parker flashed him a guilty look. "You know I'm not over him. I've not hid that from you. I've never pretended with you. That's what I've loved about spending time with you-the fact that I didn't need to hide or pretend. You let me heal," Parker said.

"But you still want to be with him." Duncan said grimly. It wasn't really a question, but she answered anyway.

"I'm sorry, but yes, I do. What happened between you and me in Vegas is why he reacted so negatively to the trip to Italy on your plane. I know I didn't really tell you why he decided to stay in New York, but it was mainly because of his insecurities. Insecurities that developed after his disastrous relationship with Veronica. Then here you were, another attractive, wealthy guy making it clear you were interested in his girlfriend. He gave up, so he wouldn't have to lose me," Parker explained.

Duncan looked incredulous. "So it's my fault your boyfriend broke your heart?" he asked.

"No! That's not what I'm trying to say!" Parker protested, upset. "I'm saying it wrong. I mean it's _my_ fault. I've liked you from the moment I saw you. Even back when you were dating Jazmin."

Surprised, Duncan said, "Really? You did?"

Parker mentally groaned. How could she have told him that? Knowing that wouldn't make it easier on him. However, she didn't want him to think she'd been biding her time or that he didn't mean anything to her. "Yes. I've always been attracted to you, Duncan. I guess Piz could sense that on some level," she admitted.

Duncan wasn't about to give up without a fight. He moved and sat in the chair next to her, picking up her hand. "There is something between us. Something real and powerful. Something that could be wonderful and amazing if you let it," Duncan insisted.

Parker gazed at him, torn. She did feel something for him. It was real and it was different than what she had with Piz. She lifted a hand and rested it on his cheek. "I know. I do feel it. Don't think that I don't. You mean something to me," she told him. But she dropped her hand and looked away. She took a deep breath and faced him again. "Duncan, I'm sorry. But I still love him."

Duncan could not believe this was happening to him again. First, Veronica. Then, Jazmin. Both were incredible women. But they didn't want him. Now just when he really thought he'd met the right girl, she was telling him she'd rather be with a loser who broke her heart and hadn't called her in two months. "I see," he said in resignation, obviously hurt and disappointed. He turned his body away from her, needing a moment.

"I don't think things are over between Piz and me. I don't want them to be. I'm not trying to hurt you," she said, her eyes filling with tears. This was harder than she thought it would be. She hadn't realized that she had the power to hurt him. Or that hurting him would hurt her.

Duncan looked toward her again. "So you want to give him another chance? You don't want us to see one another anymore?" he asked.

"Well, if I want to give it a real chance with Piz, I can't see you anymore. He'd never accept that, and I feel he deserves more from me," Parker said.

"And I don't deserve anything?" Duncan asked sadly.

"You deserve my honesty and that's what I've always given you," she said, her voice breaking. She wiped her cheek. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I know you didn't. I also know that your first true love isn't easy to get over. I know that better than anyone. It took me years to get over Veronica," Duncan shared in patient understanding. "However, I also know what Veronica knows, what Jazmin knows, and what Logan knows. That first loves are not always the strongest love you will ever find. Your first love isn't always your last love. And I believe with all my heart that you and I could find a love together that we've never had with anyone else. I wish you saw that, too."

Parker didn't know what to say. She didn't know this would hurt so much. She didn't think she'd be so affected by his words. But if she wanted to give Piz a chance, she had to end this now. She had to let Duncan believe there was no hope. He wasn't one to give up easily. That she knew. She stood up. "This is the way it has to be, Duncan. I care about you. You're a great guy, but I love Piz. I don't know if he and I are meant to have forever or not, but I know that I love him enough to find out. In the end, that's all that matters. I'm sorry," she told him. Then she grabbed her bag and walked away, ending the conversation.

Duncan was so surprised by what happened that he sat there a full ten minutes before getting up. Once again he was rejected. He left the coffee house not wanting to go back to class. Instead, he went home to see his daughter, the only girl who loved him unconditionally and would always need him. She would always want him in her life. Duncan drew comfort from that thought.

******_That Evening*_*****

Jazmin and Eli were in her living room sitting on the couch. They were supposed to be studying, but Eli was in a very flirtatious mood. Jazmin was sitting sideways with her legs draped over his lap reading her history book. After reading for twenty minutes, Eli had put down his book and was massaging her bare feet. Jazmin was trying not to let it distract her, but she was failing miserably.

"You know it's hard to concentrate with you doing that," she told him.

He grinned unapologetic. "I can't help it. You have the sexiest feet. And you're the one who threw them on me, tempting me!" he complained teasingly.

"I wasn't trying to temp you! Just get comfortable!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize my feet would turn you on, you freak!"

"It's not my fault even your toes are sexy!" he informed her, admiring her manicured, painted toes. He bent down and kissed the top of her one of her feet.

"Ick! Gross!" Jazmin yelled, pulling her feet away. "Feet are not sex objects! That is totally gross! You can't kiss my feet!"

"Oh, I can't?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her challenge. He reached and grabbed her foot, placing a lingering kiss on it starting at the base of her toes, Then he moved his mouth down her foot. He pushed up her wide-legged jeans and moved his mouth slowly up her leg.

Jazmin's mouth fell open in shock. How did he do that? How did he so easily manage to find a way to turn her on? It was her foot for goodness sake! How was this possible? He was taking his time, determined to prove that no part of her would be unresponsive to his touch.

"You are insane!" she moaned. He just grinned and moved over her, planting his lips on hers. Eagerly, she put her arms around his neck and tugged until he was covering her.

"I love every part of you," he said against her lips. The kiss was starting to get hot when they heard the front door close. He groaned and moved off of her, searing her with his heated gaze. He grabbed her legs and moved them over his lap to cover the evidence of the affect she had on him.

Trying to slow her suddenly racing pulse, Jazmin turned to see who was home. It was Parker-an obviously upset Parker.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"Not really. I told Duncan that Piz was coming back tomorrow and that I couldn't see him anymore," Parker shared.

"Don't you want to wait to see how things go with Piz before breaking it off with Duncan?" Jazmin asked.

Parker shook her head. "No, I can't do that to either guy. Not if I want to give Piz a real chance. Duncan deserves better than that," she said sadly.

"How'd he take it?" Jazmin asked.

"Not well. He was really upset," Parker shared, distraught.

Eli took perverse satisfaction in hearing Parker's tale but refrained from commenting.

"I'm sorry," Jazmin said, not knowing what else to say. She understood Parker's actions, but she felt sympathy for Duncan and wasn't hypocritical enough to say what Parker wanted to hear.

"Me, too," Parker said. "I'm going upstairs. Thanks, Eli, for letting Piz stay with you. I know it's asking a lot since you don't really know him."

"Well, he was good enough for V to date and you love him. How bad could he be?" Eli said with a shrug.

Parker gave him a small smile. "He's really great. You'll see," she said before going upstairs.

After she left, Eli grinned smugly and said, "If he makes Duncan miserable, I love him already!"

Jazmin pulled her legs off of him and sat up. "Don't say that! Duncan is great for Parker. He's a great guy," she defended.

"A great guy who has people killed when he feels the urge," Eli reminded her. "A great guy who knocked up his girlfriend and dumped her as soon as she gave it up to him and got pregnant. A great guy who broke Veronica's heart and let the entire school torment her. A great guy who ran off like a coward with his baby, hurting Veronica further, instead of using his family's money and connections to gain custody. Yes, he's a real prince," Eli said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and disgust.

"Hey, that's not fair," Jazmin protested.

"Fair? What's not fair is his sister being dead, murdered because of her desire to engage in risky behavior in order to piss of her parents. Parents who gave Duncan all their love and affection and Lilly their scorn and disapproval. What's not fair is Duncan wasn't smart enough or strong enough to know what the hell his sister was up to. He shut down like the coward he is when he found her body and went into some catatonic state. His own parents believed he killed his sister and covered up real evidence. Evidence that could've been used to convict Aaron Echolls. There is nothing good or admirable about that man, so don't you ever defend him to me. Not you," Eli said grimly. He didn't raise his voice but said each word with a cold, bitter tone.

Jazmin's mouth fell open in shock. This was the first time Eli had ever really talked about Lilly Kane except for that one time at dinner with Wallace and Jason. She never realized how deep his feelings truly went for the departed Kane. His tattoo should've made it clear, but she had found it a sweet memorable. Now she realized it was much more than that. She ran a hand down his shoulder and bicep. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize your resentment went so deep. He was good to me, and after Joseph I really needed a guy to show me the tenderness and care that he did," Jazmin said.

Eli clenched his fist, hating the reminder that Duncan Kane had been Jazmin's lover. However, he loved her enough to be glad that Duncan had helped her heal, not hurt her further. He looked at her in silence. What was he supposed to say?

Jazmin found his silence disconcerting. "Say something, please," she urged.

"What? Do you want me to tell you that I'm glad Duncan was such a great lover to you? That I'm glad he didn't slap you around like your first lover?" Eli asked pointedly.

"Of course not! Why would you say that? You have a tattoo of another woman on your arm. A woman who died before she could break your heart-I've heard enough to know that Lilly Kane would have had she lived. But she didn't. She died. Maybe you should focus on the fact that she loved Duncan. Veronica's told me how close the two siblings were. I have a brother I'm close to, and I know if he came home and found me dead and bloody he may turn catatonic, too. That's not a weakness! That's a sign of devastating loss. Not to mention a physical disorder that Duncan was incapable of controlling. Duncan was young and scared when he ran off with Lily. He made a deathbed promise to Lily's mother. You have no idea! Things aren't so black and white, Eli! You of all people know that!" she exclaimed.

Eli sighed. How did he get into an argument with her over Duncan Kane? "Look, I don't want to argue with you about Duncan. I know he's not the devil. I know he has good qualities. I am aware that Lilly adored her brother. But I can't listen to you defend your ex-boyfriend. Wallace I could handle, but not Kane. I can't help but be jealous of any guy who has ever touched you. It's just the way I'm made. I don't blame you for anything, but I want to be the only guy in your mind all the time," Eli admitted.

Jazmin's expression softened. "You are. Every day. All the time," she assured him. She moved and laid her head on his shoulder. "There's no comparison."

Eli put his arm around her and hugged her. He never wanted to fight with her, especially not over Duncan Kane.

Jazmin raised her head and had a twinkle in her eye. "That was our first fight!" she declared.

"No, it wasn't. You've yelled at me plenty of times. Remember the fight with Duncan? Wallace? Sean Sorokin?" Eli reminded her with a grin as he listed them.

"Me scalding you for your neanderthal behavior isn't a fight. You weren't upset with me. This is our first fight," she insisted, smiling.

"Okay. I give up. Why does that make you happy?" he asked.

She kissed his cheek. "Because now we can make-up," she said pointedly.

"I thought we just did," he said dryly.

"Now we can have this hot make-up sex Veronica's always bragging about," Jazmin clarified.

Now Eli grinned in understanding. "I don't want to leave you disappointed," he said, leaning closer to kiss her.

She broke off the kiss and stood up. Taking his hand, she led him upstairs to her bedroom. Eli meekly followed her, so in love with her that he'd follow her anywhere.

****_**The Next Afternoon*_*****

Wallace was about to leave to go to the airport and get Piz. David came into the room. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," Wallace replied. "Have you seen my keys? I need to drive to the airport and get Piz."

David looked around the room. He moved a shirt off of Wallace's dresser. "Here they are," he said, picking them up.

Wallace smiled in relief. "Thanks! I'm running late. I had a study session with Thea, and I had trouble leaving it," he confessed with a grin.

David laughed. "I really don't see the appeal-not after you dated the delectable Jazmin, but I'm glad you found someone you like," David said.

"Jazmin's amazing. But I screwed it up in a moment of weakness and can't go back. I've learned to appreciate more than looks 'cause looks can be deceiving," Wallace said, thinking of the cute and innocent looking Julie.

"True," David said. He waved goodbye as Wallace left. He realized that the reason Wallace lost his keys was because their room had become a real mess. He started picking up clothes and other scattered items. Then he realized Wallace had forgotten his phone in his attempt to uncover his misplaced keys. Grinning, he shook his head. Wallace was a cool guy. His uncharacteristic absent-mindedness was amusing. He must really like that girl.

David could never think of Wallace and women without thinking of Jazmin. Thoughts of Wallace's ex kept him up at night sometimes. She was so perfect. Lunch yesterday had been a good sign. David could tell she was in to him. She was just playing hard to get. An idea occurred to him. He grabbed Wallace's phone.

In the cafeteria, Jazmin was pretending to study but was instead watching Eli change light bulbs across the room. She sighed in contentment. Veronica had been right. Make-up sex was the best! Eli glanced over and saw her watching him. It didn't seem to bother her that he still worked part-time on campus. She wasn't embarrassed by it. He flashed her a grin. Last night, he had been extra motivated to not fall short of Logan's bar in "make-up" sex. Girls talked too damn much about that kind of thing.

Jazmin's phone received a text. She read it. It was from Wallace. _Need to talk to you about Piz and Parker. Can you come to my room now? _She knew Piz was arriving sometime today, so she typed a quick reply: _yes._ Then she gathered up her stuff and got up. Waving and blowing a kiss to Eli, she left to go see Wallace.

It didn't take her long to get to Wallace's dorm. She knocked on the door and David opened the door, country music blaring. "Is Wallace here?" she asked.

David stepped back. "Come in. He didn't go far. He'll be right back. You're welcome to wait," David said. He suppressed a grin of excitement at her presence.

Jazmin stepped inside, not exactly comfortable to be alone in a room with him but not knowing how to get out of the situation. When David shut the door behind her, she didn't see him turn the lock. She turned around and faced him. "Let me turn the radio down," he said. He went to the radio and turned it down slightly.

"Where did he go? He sent me a text telling me that he needed to talk to me," Jazmin said.

David tried to act casual. He shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't say you were coming here. He told me that he was going to get Piz," he said.

"So he already left?" Jazmin asked in confusion. "Then why did he text me?"

David gave her a self-deprecating smile. "Well, to be honest, he didn't," David confessed almost bashfully.

Jazmin looked surprised. "He didn't? But it was from his phone," she said.

David lifted his hand and held up Wallace's phone. "He left it," David admitted.

Dismay filled Jazmin as she realized that David had basically lured her to his room under false pretenses. She looked at the closed door that David was partially blocking. This was not a good position to be in. Knowing she needed to leave, she said. "Okay. Well, if he's not here, I'm going to go."

"I really wish that you wouldn't," David said. "I like seeing you."

"David, you know that I have a boyfriend. We can't ever be more than friends," Jazmin said firmly, eying him warily.

"Now why don't I believe you?" he said with a grin. He stepped closer to her. "I think you and I could have a really great time together if you'd relax."

"That's not going to happen!" she insisted.

David's easy smile left, and he frowned in displeasure. "I wish you wouldn't be like that. I really do. I've been more than nice, haven't I?" he asked. Not waiting for her reply, he turned to his dresser and opened a drawer.

She didn't see what he grabbed but looked startled when he turned up his radio. A self-preservation instinct kicked in and Jazmin walked slowly toward the door. "You have but it doesn't change the fact that I have a boyfriend," she said firmly, inching her way to the door.

Keeping one of his hands behind his back, David turned to intercept her. He smiled. "You can't leave yet," he said easily.

"Yes, I can," she replied in annoyance. "Move out of my way!"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I don't want you to leave yet," he said.

Jazmin's wariness turned to fear. Surely, he wasn't going to force her to stay in his presence. Was he?

******_To Be Continued******_

_Some of you had good instincts about David! I never meant for him to be a good guy. Thanks for those who have reviewed. Your reviews mean a lot to me, and I appreciate you taking the time!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: This chapter is rated M for mature audience due to the violence in the chapter. I tried not to be too graphic, but the content is dark and upsetting. However, you can't skip it!**

Chapter 6: Violated

******_Where_ _We Left Off*_*****

"I don't want you to leave yet," David said determinedly.

"I don't care what you want! I want to leave. Get out of my way!" Jazmin ordered.

"Why are you being like that? I like you. You like me. I don't know why you keep playing so hard to get. I know when a woman wants me. That beaner you're screwing can't possibly keep you satisfied," David said arrogantly.

Jazmin's heart was racing in fear and anxiety. She knew basic self-defense, but David was really big and much stronger than she was. She decided to try sweet talking him. "Look, David, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on. You're a great guy. Any girl would be lucky to go out with you. If I'd met you first, who knows?" she said with a friendly smile, trying to get him to back off.

Unfortunately, David had decided he was done playing her game. He gave her a sullen look. "You've been messing with me! Probably laughing about me behind my back with that ugly man you're ****ing! I don't get it. Why would a girl as hot as you want to be with someone so beneath you?" he asked as if truly mystified.

"There's more to value besides the physical, David. A person's heart is what matters. If you don't let me out of this room, you're making it really clear what's in your heart," she said firmly, hoping to get him to see reason.

"I didn't want it to be like this, you know. I thought if I gave you time, you'd come to your senses. You'd realize that I was the right man for you. You'd forget about that other guy. But you're not. You're not the girl I thought you were," David said in disappointment.

"That's why you should just let me leave," Jazmin cajoled, taking another step toward the door, putting herself in reach of him.

"I thought you were a beautiful, sweet angel. Instead, you're just a tease! One of those girls that enjoys getting guys all worked up," he said beginning to get angry.

"That's not true!" Jazmin said, getting upset. Real fear was starting to set in. All her father and brother's warnings were ringing in her ears. Somehow she'd found herself in one of those positions they'd warned her about. She reached in her purse to grab her phone and call for help. He wasn't going to let her leave; she could see it in his eyes.

David's eyes narrowed on her hands, and he reached out and grabbed her purse from her. "No, you don't! You're not calling anyone! You're going to give me what you been giving to every other guy around. Wallace, Duncan, that wetback. Now it's my turn," he said, reaching for her.

She tried to make it to the door, but he was too quick and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her backside against his chest. She screamed for help. He dragged her to his dresser and turned up the volume on the radio, drowning out her screams.

Terror filled Jazmin. He really wasn't going to let her leave. He was going to hurt her. When he threw her on his bed and unzipped his pants, her eyes widened in horror. "Don't do this, David, please!" she begged. This couldn't be happening! The unfolding nightmare began having a dreamlike quality to it. Her heart raced so fast that she thought it was going to beat out of her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping it was a horrible dream that she'd wake up from.

He reached in his back pocket and pulled out two things: a condom and a knife. "Don't worry. I'll protect you." He held up the condom. Then he held up the knife, taking it out of its protective leather case. She gasped in fright at the sight of it. "This is my hunting knife. I use it to cut ropes, gut fish, things like that. I've never used it to hurt anyone, and I don't want to start with you. But if you fight me, I just might. Then I'll borrow a boat and sink your body in the ocean like that Dexter guy does on that Showtime show," he said calmly.

Jazmin couldn't believe this was happening. He didn't look hateful or even evil. His pleasant expression was still on his face. What kind of monster was he? How could he think this was okay? She started to cry. "Please, don't do this," she begged.

"Don't worry. You'll love it. I'm going to show you what a real man is," he said, flashing her a smug smile. "It was real thoughtful of you to wear a skirt today."

He covered her with his heavy body. She tried in vain to push him off of her. She beat at him with her fists. He just grunted like it was nothing. She screamed again. He roughly grabbed her face in his hand, squeezing it to stop her thrashing. "Stop that!" he ordered. He grabbed the knife off his night stand. "Don't make me hurt you!" He put the cold metal to her neck, and she stopped fighting.

Terror like she'd never experienced froze her. Immobile, her mind called out for her brother, for Eli, for Wallace. Anyone to stop this. No one heard her silent cries, not even God.

Ten minutes later, he was done with her. He kissed her lips gently as if they were real lovers and got off of her. Jazmin wanted to throw up. He zipped up his pants.

Her eyes shot fire at him. "You have no idea what you've done. You don't know who my father is. You're a dead man! There's nowhere you can run or nowhere you can hide! However, my brother and Eli will get to you first! You will regret touching me and hurting me!" she vowed, hatred filling her. She never thought she could hate anyone more than she hated Joseph. But looking at David's self-satisfied, smug expression made her want to stab him with that knife of his. She looked for it as she sat up.

Her glance betrayed her intentions, and he picked it up and put in back inside his dresser. "Not going to happen, sweetheart. And you were _sweeet_!" he said, drawing it out with a smack of his lips like he was giving her a compliment. "Now I may talk slow, sugar, but I'm not stupid. Wallace talks. A lot. Not to mention I've spent enough time with you and your friends, including your precious brother to know exactly how close you are to him. I am sure your daddy is a powerfully fierce man in Chicago. But we ain't in Chicago. And I am confident that your love for your brother and your Weevil will keep your mouth closed."

Jazmin got up from the bed, pushing down her skirt and pulling her bra back over her breasts. He hadn't bothered undressing her. With unsteady hands, she began buttoning her shirt, desperate to cover herself and get away from him, tears coursing down her cheeks. "Can I leave?" she asked, not wanting to discuss anything with him or prolong her time in his presence.

He went up to her in a threatening manner; she braced herself for an attack. Instead of lashing out at her with his hands, he shook a finger at her in warning. "If your brother or boyfriend come after me, I'll kill'em dead. It'll be self-defense. There's no evidence of any attack on you. I didn't leave a mark on you. We went out. You fought with your boyfriend and came to talk to your ex for comfort. I was here instead. Wanting to get back at your boyfriend, you slept with me. There's no crime here," he said assuredly. His matter-of-fact tone astounded her.

Jazmin's mouth fell open in dismay. She gave him an incredulous look. "No crime? You raped me! I_ never_ wanted you! I hate the sight of you!" she yelled.

"If you're brother or boyfriend come after me, and they succeed in killing me, as you threatened, then you'll have ruined their lives. You'll have turned them into murders. Now I know you love your brother too much, so think carefully before you go blabbing your big mouth," he warned. "My momma told me not to kiss and tell, so I won't be telling anyone about our little tryst here."

"Tryst? That's what you call this? Are you _insane_? What kind of evil woman raised you?" Jazmin demanded, her anger at his dismissal of what he did to her surpassing her fear.

For the first time, real anger crossed David's face, and he hauled off and slapped her hard across the face, causing her head to swing back from the force of the blow. "No one insults my mama!" he yelled. He looked at Jazmin, whose hand went to her now throbbing face. "Now look what you made me do! I'm sure you can find make-up to cover it if it leaves a mark. Leave before I lose my temper again." He waved a hand dismissively at her.

Jazmin grabbed her purse and bag went to the door. With trembling hands, she pulled the knob. It didn't budge. Panic filled her. She jumped when David loomed behind her. He reached and unlocked the door and opened it. "I'll be seeing you, sweetheart," he said, giving her a wink.

However, Jazmin refused to look at him again. She had to get out of there and away from him.

It took Jazmin less than twenty minutes to walk home. She all but ran, fear propelling her forward. Once she stumbled and almost fell because she kept looking over her shoulder, afraid that David would follow her and attack her again. She was relieved to make it home and find the house empty. She locked the door behind her.

When she made it to her room, she paced the room in indecision. What should she do? She could go to the cops and have David arrested. That would keep her brother and Eli from doing anything. However, he had no criminal history and would get out on bail. Then he was a dead man. It wouldn't matter if Eli or Jason controlled themselves. Her father would make sure the man died. Jazmin didn't know if she wanted the man's death on her conscience even if she had wanted to kill him herself less than a half hour ago. Of course, there was Veronica to worry about. She was pregnant and didn't need any further stress. The first real friend she'd made in years, Veronica deserved all the happiness she had now. Jazmin couldn't bring herself to call her friend or her friend's father. Sheriff Mars would help her. Jazmin knew instinctively that he'd understand all her concerns. He would believe her and not David. However, the fall-out from David's arrest would be so severe, so on-going. Jazmin just couldn't do it. The friends she made here in Neptune meant so much to her. She knew they cared about her. Wallace, in particular, would be devastated to once again misjudge someone in his life. He would blame himself. How could she tell him what his roommate did?

David's threats rang in her head. The man was a true sociopath. He still gave off an appearance of congeniality even after he'd hurt her. He threatened to kill both her and Jason and Eli with a smile on his face. She knew that Jason and Eli were strong. However, she wasn't sure how well they would hold up against a man without a conscience. A man that was truly evil. The confident way he held that hunting knife caused her to shiver just thinking about it. If she told what David did to her, would she be signing their death warrants? What if he made good on his threats and hurt one of them? Could she take that chance? Would it be worth it? She paced back and forth, debating the issue. Jazmin had never been so unsure or frightened in her life. The people she would normally go to for help were the ones most in danger if she told her tale.

Then a new concern occurred to her. What if her dad made her go back home? The thought took root and wouldn't leave. Thinking about it, Jazmin suddenly knew that he would. She knew her father, and she knew her dad would not let her stay here if he found out what happened to her on campus. He knew about the campus rapist Veronica's freshman year and her work to capture them. Knowing that his own daughter was raped by a friend's roommate would bring all of his disgust and rage down on the school and the town. She'd never see her friends or Eli again.

Eli. Jazmin sat down on the bed, her head in her hands. How could she not tell him? How could she? Thinking of Eli and then David compelled her to action. She felt dirty. Eli would never want to touch her again if he knew how dirty she was, how violated.

Frantic now, she stripped off her clothes. She grabbed a robe and went to the upstairs bathroom. Turning on the shower as hot as she could stand it, she got in. As she washed her body, David's face, his smile kept flashing in front of her. She scrubbed harder. Then suddenly all her energy left her, and she sunk down in the tub, the spray hitting her. Sobs wracked her body. She had been so weak, so stupid to let David violate her like that. Shame filled her. Her mother would tell her it was her own fault for making him notice her. She had encouraged him when she knew she liked Eli. She was so foolish! Why did she go into his room? She didn't see Wallace. What was she thinking? How could she be so utterly stupid! She cried harder. What was she going to do?

******_Later that Evening*_*****

Eli grew concerned when Jazmin wasn't waiting for him by the maintenance building on campus. If he didn't have to work a case, she always stayed on campus on Fridays until he got off. She liked to get her homework done while he finished his shift. Then they'd grab dinner and go to his place for the night. She hadn't called or text that she needed to change her plans. When he called her, he got no answer, so he headed to her house to make sure she was okay.

Parker was in the living room with Piz. They were on the couch talking intently. They both looked up when he came in. Parker called out a greeting and introduced Piz.

"Hey, man, thanks for letting me stay with you and Jason. I know it's inconvenient. I appreciate it. I'll try not to be too much of a bother," Piz said with a shy smile.

Eli shrugged. "No biggie. V told me you were a good friend of Wallace's, and I still owe Wallace one for that whole flagpole incident last spring. I hate when she gives me that head tilt, so letting you stay is just easier all around," Eli said with a rueful smile.

Piz grinned. "I am quite familiar with the power of that head hilt, so I understand," Piz said.

"Is Jason at your house now?" Parker asked.

"I'm not sure. But I can give you my key if you want to take him over there to get settled. He can give it to me when I get home tonight or tomorrow," Eli said. He took the key off his ring and handed it to Piz.

"Thanks," Piz said.

"Is Jazmin here? She was supposed to meet me on campus and pulled a disappearing act. She's not answering her phone," Eli said to Parker.

Parker frowned. "Well, I've not seen her, but her bedroom door's closed. She might just be up there asleep," Parker said.

"Okay. I'll go check on her. I'll catch you guys later," Eli said. He headed upstairs. He knocked lightly on her door before opening it. Light from the hallway illuminated her still form in the bed. Eli turned on the small lamp by the bed, so he could see. His presence must've startled her because she jumped up in fright.

"Eli?" she asked, squinting at him, the light harsh on her eyes. She looked relieved to see him.

"Hey, babe. Are you okay? You didn't meet me or answer your phone when I called," Eli said. He brushed back her hair. His eyes narrowed on her face, spotting a slight bruising. "What happened?"

Jazmin put her hand to her bruised cheek in alarm. She'd forgotten about her face. After her shower, she couldn't bare to look at herself in the mirror. "Oh. I..Well, I wasn't feeling well, so I came home. A bout of dizziness hit me, and I got clumsy. I hit the door frame as I was coming into the room. I guess it left a bruise. I hadn't noticed," she said, hoping she sounded convincing.

Eli frowned and brushed his hands lightly over her face. He placed a soft kiss on the bruised cheek. "Be careful, Princess. I can't stand to see you hurt," he told her. "Have you eaten?"

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she said. If she ate now, she knew she'd throw up. Concerned, he lifted his hand to feel her forehead. "I'm not feverish. Just a bad case of PMS." She didn't know what else to say. He could never know.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked.

"No! Please, don't. Will you just hold me until I fall back to sleep?" she asked, a note of pleading in her voice.

Eli was disturbed by her sudden vulnerability. She seemed so fragile. "Of course," he said. She moved over to make room for him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, spooning her.

For the first time in hours, Jazmin felt safe. Held in his embrace, his strength surrounded her. Since her back was toward him, he could not see the silent tears that rolled down her cheek. She discreetly wiped them away. She'd been crying for hours until exhaustion drew her to sleep. Now with Eli here, she felt both better and worse. There was nothing she wanted more than to turn in his arms and confess every horrible moment with David. She knew that his love for her would not change. However, the knowledge of what happened to her would tear him apart. He still blamed Duncan for not protecting his sister even after all these years. He'd blamed Wallace, blame Jason, and blame himself. His wrath would be unending. It would destroy him. She couldn't do that to him. She loved him too much. After Joseph, she hadn't really believed she'd love anyone again. But Eli's love chased away all her fears, all her doubts. He was always so good to her. How could she hurt him? He was upset over a slight bruise on her cheek. If he knew she had been raped, it'd break his heart.

He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the nape of her neck. "Go to sleep, Princess. I'll stay right here until you fall asleep. Then I'll come back tomorrow and bring you my famous soup for lunch," he said.

"Thank you," she said softly. He was so wonderful. She didn't deserve him. Now she never would.

*****_Chapter End*****_

_Some of you don't particularly care for Jazmin. I hope, at least, she earned some sympathy with this chapter. I'm sure this chapter will bring a lot of various responses. Be gentle! I told you I had dark purposes planned for this installment. I know when I watch a movie or tv show where a woman gets raped it makes me crazy when the victim does stupid things like take a shower or not go to the cops. However, Jazmin isn't just reacting. She really thought about what she wanted to do and what the effect of her choices would be. I hope I made that clear. Her concerns aren't imagined or reactionary but real possibilities. Unfortunately, when it comes to rape, it is often her word against his, especially if the man wears a condom. If they had a relationship, no matter how tenuous, it becomes even harder for the woman to be believed (like women go around falsely accusing men). I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. I've never been a victim of this type of crime, but I hope to portray it as sensitively as possible. Please let me know if I veer off or cross any lines._

_There will be a lot of heartbreak in this story. This is just the beginning. The most angst-filled installment yet. I hope you'll still read. Eventually, they'll be happiness. Regardless, I have a story I want to tell. Thanks for your support! I'm about five chapters ahead, and I have a few sweet LoVe moments I can't wait for you to read. Please, review! The greater the response, the more I want to post the next chapter! :)_


	7. Chapter 7

**For those of you criticizing the direction of my story (I warned you this story was darker), I wrote this storyline for a secondary character I created because on the show we had both Veronica and Parker raped but they were conveniently drugged with no memories. Most rapes are vicious and violent and the memories plague the victim forever. Parker seemed to get past hers on the show way too easily. I want to take a character through real, psychological trauma. I want to see how it affects the rest of the characters and what happens when people fail to see someone else's pain. Her not telling is crucial to the rest of the story I am writing. Jazmin's secret will be the back drop, not the center of the rest of the story. Does the world stop when you hurt? It doesn't, and it won't for Jazmin.**

**This chapter begins the same night as Jazmin's rape, but it starts with other characters. It is not where we left off. A bit later on the same night.**

Chapter 7: Shattered

********_Friday Night at the Beach House_***********

Veronica was very excited because Duncan had agreed to bring Lily over to spend the night. Taking care of a very active toddler was much more work than a newborn in many ways, so Veronica loved to have the opportunity to practice her mothering skills. Of course, as godmother she just loved to spend time with Lily.

"Did you tell Dick that Lily was coming over?" she asked Logan.

"Yes. He had a business dinner that one of us had to be at. Since Mac wanted to go, he volunteered. They should be here soon though. The dinner was an early one," Logan said. "It may surprise you to know, but Dick is actually better at those things than I am."

"Really? You have so much practice," Veronica said.

"Yes, and I always hated those kinds of things where I had to be all fake and act a certain way. Why do you think I was always risking my dad's wrath? Being passive aggressive was my only form of open rebellion. Although I know what to say and do and can pour on the charm when necessary, Dick is so warm and genuine that he immediately gets the models to relax. And the models under eighteen who have parents accompanying them trust him instinctively and adore him," Logan shared.

"You're kidding?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"Nope. Dick is a natural at handling people. So is Trina. Of course, hers is more of an act. But most of the vapid models can't tell the difference," Logan said with a grin. "They think her fawning is their due!"

Their doorbell rang. Veronica opened it and greeted Lily with a kiss and a hug, which she returned. However, she soon ran into the room and jumped into Logan's arms.

"Logie! I missed you! How come you didn't go to the carnival wif us when Daddy took me? Dickie and Mac and Parker was there," Lily asked him with a disapproving frown.

"Sorry, sweetie, but I had to take my fiancee some place special to celebrate our upcoming marriage," Logan said, grinning at her in his arms.

"What's a fi-fi-on-cee?" Lily asked, stumbling over the hard to say word.

"Remember, honey, I told you that Logan and Veronica were getting married? When a person is engaged, they call the other person their fiance," Duncan explained.

Lily's eyes lit up. "Will I get to be the flower girl?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course! Who else?" Veronica said smiling. She decided to quit feeling slighted over Lily's preference of Logan. Duncan was right. When Lily got older, Veronica would be who she preferred. In the meantime, Veronica had Richie.

Trina appeared and greeted Duncan and Lily.

"Where's your baby? Can he play with me?" Lily asked.

"Well, he's still too small to do much but eat and poop, but I was about to wake him from his nap and change his diaper. Would you like to help?" Trina asked her.

"Yes!" Lily said excitedly. Logan put her down.

"Come give me a kiss goodbye first," Duncan ordered. "I'll pick you up tomorrow." Lily gave her dad a hug and walked off with Trina.

"Aren't you going to stay and hang out awhile?" Veronica asked.

"I'm really not in the mood. Parker dumped me," Duncan shared, morose.

The front door opened up interrupting them. Dick and Mac came in.

"How did it go?" Logan asked.

"Awesome! They were eating out of my hands!" Dick bragged. "The girl's father loved Mac 'cause he was a computer geek."

"Neptune's new power couple! Look at you two!" Veronica exclaimed.

Mac laughed. "I definitely wouldn't go that far!" she said. "Hey, Duncan. Is Lily here?"

"Yes. She's with Richie and Trina learning how to change diapers," he said.

"Duncan was just telling us that he and Parker broke up," Logan said, catching them up to speed.

"No way!" Dick exclaimed in sympathy. "Why?"

"Piz is back in town and wants her back. She still loves him," Duncan said, sitting down in a chair. He decided he could use some sympathy.

"That blows! Why would anyone prefer that Pisster?" Dick asked, affronted on his behalf.

"Some women in this very room have been known to want that wanna-be-rocker," Logan said with a smirk and pointed look at Veronica.

"Ha, ha. You're _so_ not funny!" Veronica complained with an eye roll. She gave Duncan a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry, Duncan. I didn't realize she'd just break up with you. I figured she'd give it time and make sure things were okay with her and Piz."

Duncan looked surprised. "You mean you knew he was coming back?" Duncan asked.

"Well, Wallace told me on Tuesday. He wanted me to ask Weevil if Piz could stay with him and Jason until the semester ends," Veronica admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Duncan asked, upset.

Veronica flashed him a guilty look. "I'm sorry. I was going to warn Parker, but Wallace said Piz was going to call her. I didn't think I should be the one to tell you," she told him.

"You know, Veronica, this is the second time you've let me be sucker-punched by the girl I'm dating!" Duncan said angrily, getting up from the chair. "You did the same thing with Jazmin. Two friends you've known a lot less longer than me. You're really turning into a lousy friend!"

Veronica gasped in dismay at his sudden attack. She hadn't expected it.

Logan, who was even more protective of Veronica since she became pregnant, got to his feet and confronted Duncan. "Don't yell at her! It's not her job to mediate your love life!" Logan said angrily.

"Excuse me for thinking one of my best friends would have my back!" Duncan yelled back. He looked at Veronica. "At least I know where I stand now. I even rank lower than one of Logan's ex-girlfriends! I'm glad my sister isn't alive to see your disloyalty!"

That was going too far. Veronica's eyes filled with tears like he had slapped her. Duncan knew he'd crossed a line and wasn't surprised when Logan took a step toward him, ready to slug him for insulting Veronica. Dick and Mac both jumped to their feet. Dick grabbed Logan while Mac put a restraining hand on Duncan.

"Relax, Duncan. You know Logan doesn't deal well with Veronica being upset since she got pregnant," Mac murmured to him.

"Dude, you need to chill!" Dick said to Logan. Then he turned to Duncan. "Dude, why don't you and I get out of here and go get a drink or something?"

"Fine. I'll be back tomorrow to pick up Lily. Call me if she needs me," Duncan said grimly. Then he turned to leave.

"I'll go with you guys," Mac said. Dick grinned in approval and reached out and took her hand.

When the door closed, Logan went to Veronica and pulled her into his arms. "Don't listen to that ass-wipe! You don't have a disloyal bone in your body! He's just talking out his ass!" Logan exclaimed.

"Logie, you aren't 'posed to say ass! Daddy says," Lily informed them from the edge of the room. She had wandered into the room in time to hear Logan's impassioned words to Veronica.

Logan winced but turned to face her. "You're Daddy doesn't know everything!" he said, still annoyed.

Veronica sat up and pushed him away. "He was mad and forgot the rules, honey. He's sorry," Veronica said, wiping her eyes.

The very intelligent toddler came closer and saw that she was upset. Lily frowned. "Did Logie be mean to you and make you cry?" she asked, shooting Logan an accusing look.

A real smile bloomed on Veronica's mouth at Lily's defense of her. "Sometimes pregnant women are overly emotional. They cry easily. Even if they're happy. I am crazy emotional these days, baby. But I'm okay," Veronica assured her.

Lily crawled onto her lap and kissed her. "Don't cry. Big girls don't cry," she said solemnly, obviously repeating what had been said to her.

"Sometimes they do. But I won't anymore. Not when you're here to make me so happy," Veronica said, smiling at her. Children had a way of making everything matter and others thing matter less.

Logan was relieved to see Veronica pushing aside her upset. He knew that Duncan using his sister as a weapon had to have devastated Veronica, but she was putting on a brave face for Lily's sake. Although Logan did think Veronica ought to have given Duncan a heads up or even him, he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. Not while she was carrying his unborn baby. Not while she was the most important person in his entire world.

****_*A Bit Later*****_

Dick took Duncan to a bar he liked to go to sometimes called the Blue Angel. It wasn't a favorite college hang out. Usually only locals frequented it, so it was never too loud or quiet. The pool table in the corner was the only real thing the place had going for it, which is how Dick had discovered it one afternoon when he was too annoyed with his frat brothers to play with them. Needing new faces, he had found this place. The seedier atmosphere appealed to him. Every so often, a ghost from his past would bring dark thoughts, and he'd crave a place where no one knew him. A place where he didn't have to be the life of the party or the goofball.

"You've never brought me here before," Mac observed, looking around.

"'Cause you don't like me taking you to bars," Dick reminded her with a grin.

"It's fine. No one we know here," Duncan said with a careless shrug.

"Exactly," Dick said. He ordered three beers from the server and some chicken wings. "Their wings rock."

"We're sorry about Parker," Mac said softly.

"Me, too," Duncan said sadly. Then he looked at Mac. "You're a girl. Why don't girls like me? What's wrong with me?"

Mac gave him a sympathetic look. "There's nothing wrong with you! Both Jazmin and Parker have nothing but good things to say about you. They both care a lot about you. As does Veronica. How many guys would have ex-girlfriends say the same thing?" Mac pointed out.

"Not any of mine!" Dick added with a grin.

"Yes, but they always break up with me or choose someone else," Duncan replied grimly. "I guess this is what I deserve for treating Meg so shabbily."

Mac and Dick exchanged surprised looks at his remarks. Mac didn't know much about Meg and Duncan's relationship first-hand, so she didn't know what to say.

Dick said, "Dude, that's bullshit! It don't work like that! If we only got what we deserved, I sure wouldn't have Mac!"

Mac couldn't help but smile at Dick's explanation. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Sometimes God feels sorry for the screw-ups," she remarked with a flash of her dimple.

Duncan gave a reluctant half-smile at their remarks. "He must not feel sorry for me yet. Things never seem to go right for me for long," Duncan said.

"Give it time. You're so much cooler than that loser," Dick said loyally.

Mac raised her head and said, "He's right. Give it time. Piz and Parker have several issues. Things may not work out. Parker wasn't indifferent to you when she was with him, so don't give up."

The server brought the beers. "In the meantime, drink up!" Dick encouraged.

******_Piz and Parker******_

Parker drove Piz over to Eli and Jason's place. Her reunion with Piz had been a bit awkward. Neither knew what to expect from the other and were unsure how to act. They had just started to actually talk when Eli came over. Parker hoped things would get better when they got him settled.

No one was at the house when they arrived at Jason and Eli's. After exploring the house and taking his bags into the only empty room upstairs, Piz sat on the bed. "It's pretty empty," he said looking around the room. The guys obviously hadn't done much more than throw a bed into the other room.

"We should go out and get you some hangers for your clothes until you get a dresser in here," Parker said.

"That's fine. I could use a bite to eat," Piz said.

When they went downstairs, they heard some giggling. Piz was a bit embarrassed to see to people he didn't know well making out on the couch.

"Hey guys!" Parker called out, hoping to get out of there with the least amount of embarrassment.

Daisy sat up and looked at them. "Oops! We didn't realize anyone was here," she said sheepishly. She carefully adjusted her shirt.

"Hello," Jason said with a rueful grin. "Yeah, I didn't notice your car outside."

"We ran into Eli at my place, and he gave Piz the key," Parker explained. "We just brought in his stuff."

"Hi," Piz said with a shy smile. "Thanks for letting me stay here. I know it's a bother."

Jason got to his feet, proper manners drilled into him since he could walk and held out his hand to Piz. "Not a problem. It's good to see you again," Jason said with a friendly smile. "You know Daisy, right?"

"Yes," he said, smiling at her. She had been an exciting interlude for Wallace.

"Hey, sugar. Glad to have you back. Cute boys are always welcome," she said with a flirtatious smile.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Ignore her. She can't help it!" he explained. Daisy giggled.

Parker hadn't spent much time with Daisy, so she didn't know how to respond. She decided to just ignore her. "Well, we were going to go get some hangers for the room and a bite to eat. We'll be back in a few hours," Parker said.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about the empty room. I've been distracted this week," he said, giving Daisy an accusing glance. She looked smug and unrepentant. "I'll get you a dresser this weekend."

"There's no need to go to the trouble. I'll get something," Piz said quickly.

"No, it's fine. It's our guest room, and I meant to do that last spring when Jazzie was living here. She picked out the bed and coverings," Jason explained. "I'll go tomorrow and get a dresser."

"Well, thanks," Piz said, not sure what to say to such unexpected generosity.

Parker reached for his hand. "We appreciate it," she said with a smile. "Catch you guys later."

When they got into the car, Piz said, "I don't really know how to deal with guys like him."

"He's a guy like any other," Parker said with a shrug as she started her car.

"No, he's not. Wallace told me about the mob thing when his dad hit him with the info back when he was with Jazmin. But Jason doesn't look anything like a thug or dangerous kind of guy," Piz said.

"'Cause he's not. I've met his grandmother and his dad. Now his dad is in a class by himself, but Jason's very well mannered and extremely intelligent. Jazmin often complains about him getting all the brains and the beauty," Parker said.

"Jazmin inherited a lot of beauty, too," Piz said with a grin.

"Believe me, I know. I live with her," Parker said smiling. "They're not like us, but they're good people, I think. Jazmin and I have become really good friends. We're both kind of outsiders to the group. She's had problems with her brother dating Daisy."

"Looks like they've gotten close," Piz observed.

"Yea, it does. Maybe that's why Jazmin was hiding in her room earlier. She really hates Daisy and her and Jason are very close," Parker said.

"My younger sister never liked any of my girlfriends when I was in high school. I think that's how it works," Piz said, smiling. He was glad they could finally talk with ease. It had been disappointing to discover when he arrived that the ease between them was gone. Now it seemed to be returning.

When Parker stopped at a Target, Piz grabbed her hand. "It's really good to be here with you again. I'm sorry. For everything. Please, give us a chance," he said beseechingly.

"I know you are. I'm sorry, too," Parker said. "And I am. Going to give us a chance. I told Duncan yesterday that I wasn't going to see him anymore."

"You did?" Piz asked in surprise.

"I still love you," Parker admitted.

Piz grinned happily and leaned over to kiss her.

Parker was upset to discover that it was Duncan's face that now lingered in her mind as she kissed him.

_*****The Next Day*****_*

Saturday morning Mac dragged herself out of bed earlier than she wanted to-much to Dick's protest. They had spent several hours drinking and playing pool with Duncan the night before. It had been fun, and Duncan had declared he wasn't going to sit around moping over a girl who didn't want him. Although Dick had encouraged that thinking, Mac couldn't help but worry about all her friends. She had told Madison she'd come over to help her with her failing classes. Now she was regretting her generosity. Since she rarely overindulged, she didn't hold her alcohol well.

Marilyn smiled warmly at her, surprised to see her at their door. "Cindy, it's good to see you. I didn't know you were coming by," she said. Since she had been spending time with Mac's mother, she had quit calling her Mac. Now both mothers called her Cindy.

Mac gave her a tired smile. "I told Madison I'd tutor her," Mac said stepping through the door.

Marilyn's smiled widened. "Oh, that's so good! Thank you! She really needs a friend like you. She's been kind of a drift since high school. Her best friend Shelly went to USC and Madison was wait-listed. They never had a spot for her. Going to Hearst wasn't what she wanted," Marilyn shared.

"Is she up? I told her ten and she said that would work," Mac said.

"I'll check. Did you have a late night? You look tired," she observed.

"Yes. Dick and I were out with Duncan. He was having a bad night and needed a distraction," Mac said.

Marilyn patted her shoulder before heading upstairs. "You're a good friend, I'm sure. Go into the kitchen and get some coffee or anything else you want. Make yourself at home," she said.

Mac did just that. She had almost finished an entire cup of coffee before Madison finally sauntered down. If she hadn't been carrying her books, Mac would've left.

"I told you I was going to be here at ten, Madison. The least you could've done is be ready on time!" Mac said in annoyance.

"It's not even ten thirty yet, relax," Madison said. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down. She took in Mac's less than perky appearance and the shadow under her eyes. She grinned. "Looks like someone had a real good time last night!" She felt immensely satisfied that Mac wasn't so perfect after all.

"Dick and I went out with Duncan last night. He needed some cheering up," Mac said. She grabbed the books and began flipping through them.

"What could the Prince of Neptune have to be down about?" Madison asked, curious.

"The girl he was dating decided to get back with her ex-boyfriend," Mac shared, distracted as she was reading through the table of contents.

Madison grinned at the news. "Really?" she said, a note of excitement in her voice.

Before Mac could respond, Lauren came into the room. "Hey, Mac! You didn't tell me you were coming by!" Lauren said. She gave Mac a hug.

"Sorry. I meant to text you," Mac said.

"She was too busy getting trashed," Madison said gleefully.

Mac glared at her. "You should be nicer to someone that is volunteering to help you because I can leave," Mac said firmly.

"I'm joking!" Madison said to Lauren.

Lauren laughed, happy to see her sisters voluntarily spending time together. "Well, I'm glad you're here 'cause I needed to tell you about the costume I want you to wear for my party. You haven't gotten one yet, have you?" Lauren asked.

"Nope. Dick and I have yet to agree on a costume," Mac admitted.

"Well, I want to be Dorothy from_ The Wizard of Oz_, and I thought it'd be cool if you and Madison dress up as the two witches. Madison can be Glenda the good witch, and you can be the Wicked Witch," Lauren said excitedly.

"Gee, thanks," Mac said dryly.

Lauren grinned. "It's because of your hair, silly! Madison is blonde like Glenda, and you're hair is dark like the wicked witch," she explained. "And then Dick can dress up as the cowardly lion since he's big and blonde like a lion. Then Veronica can be the Scarecrow and Logan the Tin Man! What do you think?"

Madison loved the idea of playing Glenda, especially if Mac was the ugly, green witch. "I think it's brilliant!" Madison said, flashing Mac a smug look.

Mac actually liked the idea, too. "I've never dressed up as a witch before. It sounds fun," Mac said, smiling.

"Do you think Veronica will like it?" Lauren asked eagerly.

"I'm sure she will love the idea. Since you're the birthday girl, we can do whatever you want," Mac said easily. She loved having a sister to spoil. Even though Lauren was too old for real spoiling, Mac loved making her happy. And this was such a simple thing. She'd have to tell Dick it wasn't the cowardly lion but Dorothy's lion protector. She doubted he'd seen the movie or remembered it well enough to know the difference! She chuckled thinking about it and realized she wasn't annoyed anymore with Madison.

"So show me your syllabus," Mac ordered and begin to try to teach Madison something.

*****_*Jazmin and Eli*_*****

An exhausted Jazmin had to force herself to get into the shower. She knew Eli was coming by soon, and if she didn't do a better job with her appearance, he would grow very suspicious. Her night had been rough and full of bad, violent dreams. For some reason, she wasn't just dreaming about David's attack, but she was also reliving that horrible day with Joseph. The day he broke her heart and caused her to fall down a flight of stairs, killing their baby. In some of her dreams, both men took turns raping her. Or Joseph watched and laughed as David held her down. She had woken up crying the last time and gave up on sleep.

Neither Parker nor Mac was around, so she went downstairs and turned on the TV. She was mindlessly turning the channels when Eli arrived.

"How are you feeling, Princess?" he asked as he gave her a light kiss on the lips. Jazmin had to force herself not to flinch. His touch was gentle. His touch was loving. There was no reason to fear him. Jazmin knew that there was no part of Eli that didn't love her nor any part of her that he didn't love. However, she was still jumpy from what had happened yesterday.

"Okay," she said listlessly.

"Are you hungry yet?" he asked.

"Not really," she said.

"Well, I'll put this in the fridge. But in an hour or so, I want you to try and eat something, okay?" he asked in concern.

When she nodded without protest, he went and put up the soup. Then he returned and examined her too pale face closely. The light blue bruise was marring her perfect features. His eyes darkened at the sight. She should never be hurt. He sat down next to her and put an arm around her. She laid her head on his chest. "Did you sleep last night? You look exhausted," Eli said.

"No. I had bad dreams. They kept me up," she admitted.

"Do you want to talk about them?" he asked.

"I don't remember much except I was being chased by a faceless somebody. Very creepy," she lied. As much as she hated to deceive him, the truth would hurt him so much more.

"Maybe you should eat a little and then go back to bed. I'll come back later," Eli suggested.

Jazmin raised her head and looked at him in alarm. "No! Don't leave me! I need you here!" she said anxiously.

Her sudden anxiety bothered him. However, he didn't have a sister, so he didn't know if this overly emotional behavior was normal for a woman during her period. He smiled. "Of course, babe, I'll stay. I'll need to leave and get some work done in a few hours, but I can come back after that and stay the night if you'd like," he offered.

She visibly relaxed. "Yes, please. I'm not feeling like myself today, and you being here makes me feel better," she explained. Then she snuggled back against him and put her arm around his waist. His arm went back around her shoulder.

"Okay," he said. He didn't say anything more, but he found her uncharacteristic clinginess disturbing. Although it sometimes felt like they'd always been together, they had been dating less than two months. Maybe this was just a side of her he hadn't seen before. Maybe for a few days once a month she was a bit emotional. He could deal with that. He dropped her kiss on her forehead. "Whatever you need, Princess. Always," he assured her.

Jazmin only felt safe if he was here. She couldn't risk calling Jason because he knew her too well. Avoiding him for awhile would have to be a priority. His penetrating gaze would be too relentless. Unlike a lover, a sibling would never hesitate to push too hard or upset and offend to get answers. Jason would never willing upset her unless he thought it was for her own good. Then he'd be at his most highhandedness. Until she got a better grip on her emotions, she couldn't risk revealing too much to her other half.

She moved her head slightly so that she could see Eli's face. "Thanks. I love you," she said, a look of vulnerability on her face.

To Eli, she looked like she was bracing herself for his sudden rejection. Finding that puzzling, he cupped her cheek. "Not more than I love you," he said back to her, relieved to see a small smile finally appear on her face. He picked up the remote for the television. "So what were you watching?"

"Nothing yet. Put it on something happy. Like cartoons," she suggested.

Eli chuckled at her request and did what she asked. There were worse ways to spend a Saturday.

******_Chapter End**_****

_Thoughts? _


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Brave Face

****_*Saturday Evening*_****

Veronica was watching both Lily and Richie while everyone else was at Faces working. Since Dick, Logan, and Mac had school during the week, sometimes they had to go in on the weekends. Veronica didn't mind. Spending time with Richie and now Lily kept her from getting restless or wanting to go back to work herself. She knew that Logan would not be happy if she took on a job or tried to help Weevil and Jason, especially not while she was pregnant. Now that she was going to be a parent she couldn't help but weigh the risks a bit more. Did a mother have the right to take on a job that put her life at risk? Of course, she knew better than anyone that just walking across the street was risky, but chasing criminals took things to a whole, new, risky level. However, her decision to go into profiling instead of field work made graduate school a must. And as a parent, it would take her longer to finish her degree. If her career didn't actually start until she was thirty, would it be that big of deal? Thirty was still young. Work would still be there.

She was watching Lily play with Richie and thinking about this when Duncan arrived to pick up his daughter.

"Daddy!" Lily exclaimed, happy to see him. She ran toward him. He bent down and scooped her up in his arms.

Veronica watched nervously from the couch. She didn't like Duncan being upset with her. The night before, she and Logan had discussed it after Lily was asleep, and she agreed to try and work things out with Duncan. Logan was pissed at Duncan's remark, but he felt Veronica should have at least told him; then he could've warned Duncan. The downside to everyone being friends was it made things sticky when some friends weren't getting along or started dating and broke-up.

"Hey, Duncan. She was great. We had a lot of fun," Veronica said, offering him a friendly smile.

He nodded without returning her smile. "Good. She likes being here. It's good for her to spend time with other women besides her grandmothers. Thanks for having her. Did you put all her stuff in her bag?" he asked. He was reserved and offered her no olive branch.

"Yes, Daddy. I packed it!" Lily announced proudly.

"Good girl. Give Veronica a hug and say thank-you," Duncan ordered, putting her down.

Lily ran to Veronica and gave her a sweet kiss. "When are you and Logie gonna come stay on night wif me?" she asked.

Veronica looked at Duncan, who finally gave her a small smile. "Well, probably not as long as you are living with your grandparents. But one day, sweetie," she said.

"It's time to go, baby," Duncan said, holding out his hand.

"Duncan, wait, please," Veronica said, getting up and standing in front of him. "Please, don't be mad at me. I'm really sorry. You're right. You_ are_ more important to me than Parker, and I should have put you first."

"It's fine. I know now where I stand with you. No woman in my life has ever picked me, so why should you be any different?" Duncan said with a shrug. "No, that's not true. Lily's mother did but I picked you instead. And we both know how that turned out." Without saying another word or waiting for her response, he led Lily out of the house.

Veronica sat down on the couch a bit flabbergasted by his parting remark. His uncharacteristic bitterness really bothered her. She knew that he had still loved her or the memory of her when he returned home almost a year and a half ago. He had handled his disappointment so well that she forgot sometimes he had still loved her. Then Jazmin had come along, and he had really liked her. Veronica knew that he had started to fall for her when she'd broken up with him. Her rejection had hurt him, and he hadn't easily moved on. Now Parker's sudden break-up was hitting him particularly hard. His hurt and anger toward Veronica made her suspect that he was really in love with Parker.

Instead of being hurt and mad at Duncan for his harsh words toward her, she decided to take action. Maybe she could talk to Parker and find out exactly what she was feeling now that Piz had returned. Surely, there was a way Veronica could help Duncan.

******_The Next Day*_*****

After spending the night with Jazmin, Eli went to J & E to do some work. It was hard to focus, however, because he was worried about Jazmin. She hadn't seemed herself all weekend. Even though she had obviously been exhausted, she had kept putting off bedtime. It was almost as if she hadn't wanted to go to sleep-as if she had been _afraid_ to go to sleep. Eli didn't know what to think about her odd behavior. When he had finally convinced her to go to bed, she had fallen into an exhausted, dreamless slumber. After breakfast this morning, he had thought she was going to burst into tears when he left. It was really upsetting. When he tried to press her and find out what was wrong, she had insisted it was an unusually bad case of PMS. Then she had apologized for acting ridiculous. Forcing a smile, she'd all but pushed him out the door.

Eli was relieved when Jason came into the office. He was wearing the bright smile he'd been wearing the past week since he and Daisy had finally sealed the deal. For some reason, though, Eli had a feeling that things with her wouldn't always be so relaxing.

"Good morning!" Jason said, flashing a sunny smile.

"'Morning. You're in another great mood, I see," Eli said with a smirk. "Did Daisy stay the night last night?"

"Yes," Jason replied, obviously pleased by that fact. "Piz got settled in. Daisy and I picked him out a dresser and desk yesterday."

"Oh, shopping with the missus? That's a big step!" Eli teased with a wide grin.

"Very funny," Jason said with a frown. "But she was very helpful and appreciated me asking her to help."

"I bet she did," Eli stated in exaggerated tones. Then he quit smiling. "I'm glad you came in though. I need to talk to you about your sister."

"What? Did you already mess things up with her?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, of course not! I just want you to drop by and see her today. There's something up with her. She's been acting strange all weekend," Eli shared, frowning.

"What do you mean by strange?" Jason asked.

"I mean highly emotional, clingy, and afraid to go to sleep," Eli listed.

"Afraid to sleep? What?" he asked puzzled.

"Well, it seemed like it. She didn't want to go to bed last night, and I thought she was going to cry when I left this morning," Eli said.

"Cry because you're leaving? You wish!" Jason said with a laugh of disbelief.

"No, I'm serious!" Eli insisted. "There's something going on. She tried to tell me it was a really bad case of PMS, but I don't buy it. There's something wrong, and she didn't want to tell me. Please, go see her."

Jason could tell that he was really concerned. "Okay, man, I will. I'll go by this evening before my date with Daisy," Jason said.

"Thanks," Eli said, relaxing. If there was something wrong with Jazmin, Eli knew that she would tell her brother.

******_Veronica and Parker***_***

Parker was a bit surprised when Veronica had called her wanting to have brunch on Sunday. Although she and Veronica had become good friends after their summer in Italy, they rarely spent one-on-one time together. However, she had her suspicious on why Veronica wanted to talk to her.

Her suspicious were confirmed when Veronica asked, "So how did your reunion go with Piz?"

Parker smiled knowingly. "Who wants to know? You or Duncan?"

Veronica looked a bit pained. She replied, "Me. Definitely me. Duncan's really upset with me because I didn't give him a heads up that Piz was returning. I found out from Wallace on Tuesday."

Parker was surprised by that information. "Yeah, I know where he's coming from. How could you not tell us?" she asked in annoyance.

"I told Wallace I was going to tell you, but he assured me that Piz was going to call you. I figured it would be best if you heard it from him and Duncan to hear it from you," Veronica apologetically. "Believe me, Duncan was really hurt. I'm sorry."

Parker gave her a sad smile. "The thing is, Veronica, if either of us had known, we wouldn't have went to the carnival together with Lily on Thursday last week," she said.

"But I didn't know then. I only knew this week," Veronica explained. She had heard from Dick how close the two of them looked at the carnival, so she knew what Parker meant.

Parker sighed and nodded. "It's just a hard situation. Duncan has been so great with me. He knew I wasn't quite over Piz, and he didn't push me. He was so sweet and just wonderful," Parker shared.

Veronica couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the soft expression on Parker's face. It was clear that Parker did have real feelings for Duncan. "Yes, I'm very familiar with Duncan's patience. That the way he was with me in high school," she shared.

Parker laughed. "Is it pathetic of me that I've dated all three of your ex-boyfriends?" she asked Veronica.

"Well, you're a lot like I used to be before Lilly Kane died except you're more vivacious and out-going. Actually, now that I think about it, you are a lot like Meg, Lily's mom, was. I guess I hadn't really thought about it before," Veronica admitted. "Logan obviously saw that. He never loved that version of me though. He likes me with my sharp edges. Piz was attracted to those sharp edges, but he didn't realize what exactly he was getting."

Parker laughed. "Very true. Men sometimes love their image of us more than who we really are. I don't have to wonder about that with Piz. I know he loves me exactly the way I am," Parker said. "With Duncan, I have to wonder if his attraction stemmed from his desire to give a mother to Lily, especially now that you've told me I remind you of Meg. I'm sure that hasn't escaped Duncan's notice."

Veronica realized that her comments may have worked against her and tried to recover the lost ground. "I don't think Duncan ever really loved Meg. He basically dumped her as soon as he found out he and I weren't siblings," Veronica said. When Parker's eyes widened at that admittance, Veronica grimaced. She should've thought this through more. "Another story for another day. Anyway, Duncan had a type like most guys do. Logan only likes blondes. Lilly was blonde, Caitlin-another high school girlfriend-was blonde, Hannah was blonde, and you're blonde. It doesn't mean we're all interchangeable."

"That doesn't bother you?" Parker asked.

Veronica shrugged. "Logan loved Lilly Kane. I became more like her after she died. Like I channeled some of her best qualities to get through the nightmare my life became that year. But I know that their relationship would've never worked," Veronica said.

"Why not?" Parker asked.

"They were very hurtful and had an ugly relationship. In fact, if Lilly hadn't messed with his head so much and cheated on him all the time, Logan and I may have had less issues in our own relationship," Veronica said.

"Do you think Duncan likes me for me? Or because I remind him of who you used to be?" Parker couldn't help but ask.

"Duncan may have initially been attracted to you because of our similarities. But Jazmin isn't much like me at all, and he really liked her. So it's not like he looks for me in every girl he dates. But Duncan never loved me the way Logan does. He couldn't because he didn't know me the way Logan does. I tried too hard to be the girl I was before his sister died, so he never got much of a chance to really know me. Then he was gone, on the run with Lily," Veronica shared. When Parker didn't seem satisfied with her explanation she continued, "You and I are very different. I took my ugly experiences and went to a very dark place. I was suspicious and distrustful. You used what happened to you to make yourself stronger. You didn't let your rape define you or hold you back. I spent two years obsessing on who attacked me. I don't let things go or move pass anything very easily. You're a lot more tolerant than I am."

"How so?" Parker asked.

"Well, did Duncan tell you why Wallace's father was here investigating last spring?" Veronica probed, not wanting to share a secret but find out if she already knew.

Parker nodded. "He told me almost from the moment we became friends," she confessed.

Veronica's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Really? That soon? Wow!" she said in surprise.

"It was after he and Jazmin first broke up. I think he was tired of being taken by surprise. He wanted me to know who he was before we became friends," Parker said.

"Then you already know him better than I do. I probably wouldn't have gotten passed it if it wasn't for Lily, but you obviously accept him for he who is," she told Parker. Then she leaned over the table and said earnestly, "You fit him much better than I ever did."

Parker shook her head. "No. I fit Piz. I love him, and he loves me," she said with resolve.

Veronica sat back and examined Parker. She did seem torn and upset. "I know it's not easy loving two very different guys. I know how you feel. I thought I loved Duncan in high school after I had dated Logan, but I never could quit thinking about Logan or caring about what he was up to. It was a secret obsession of mine," Veronica said.

"Yes, but I couldn't quit thinking of Piz when I was with Duncan," Parker insisted.

_"While_ you were with him? Or at night when you were alone and missing him? There's a difference," Veronica stated.

Parker didn't answer. She just looked sad. Then after a minute she said, "I love Piz, not Duncan."

"And you're sure about that? Piz returns and just like that Duncan's history? Is that really what you want?" Veronica asked.

"I care about Duncan. This isn't easy for me, Veronica. I hate it! But what can I do? Piz is the first guy I could see spending my life with. Our break-up devastated me. Now he's back. I can't string Duncan along. That'd be cruel," Parker said.

"I understand," Veronica said. And she did. "But I think Duncan more than likes you. I think he's already in love with you, and he won't move on easily. He feels things deeply. He always has. Jazmin was the first girl he dated after me. It was awhile before he dated anyone else, and you were the only girl he noticed or wanted."

"Well, I'm not going to ask him to wait for me or to wait and see how things go with Piz. That'd be really selfish of me. He deserves better than that, and Piz deserves my complete commitment," Parker said adamant.

Veronica couldn't help but admire her. And she realized that Wallace had a point. If Veronica had been more mature and less selfish when she dated Piz, he might not have been so hurt or so insecure with Parker. Maybe none of them would be in the mess they were currently in. Veronica was suddenly very glad that she would never have to play the dating game again. Logan was the last guy she'd ever date, and she definitely wasn't going to miss the dating game!

******_Sunday Evening******_

Jason had picked up Daisy for their date. She kept giving him that looked that never failed to get him worked up. "Quit looking at me like that!" he ordered.

"Like what?" she asked with a coy smile.

"Like you're picturing me naked," Jason said, grinning.

"But I _am_ picturing you naked!" she replied smugly.

Jason groaned. "Stop! I can't concentrate when you look at me like that!" he complained. For the first time, he wished bucket car seats weren't in vogue. He wanted one of those car seats from back in the day that allowed the passenger to scoot close and press their body into the driver. "You're too far way!"

Daisy smiled in pleasure when he reached over and took her hand. He was a very physical person, constantly touching her. Now that they had slept together his innocent touches weren't quite so innocent. However, she lost her smile when they stopped in front of his sister's house. "What are we doing here? We have plans, remember?" she reminded him.

"I know. But I promised Eli I'd stop by and check on Jazzie. He says something's going on with her, but she won't say," Jason explained.

Daisy pulled back her hand and crossed her arms. She gave him a displeased look.

"Hey, don't be like that! I picked you up _before _I came here because I didn't want to be late and upset you. If I don't stop now, I know I definitely won't be thinking of my sister during our date," Jason side with a leer.

Daisy felt a reluctant smile form on her lips. It did mean something that he was thinking of her first. She didn't know if this day was ever going to come. And she did learn after dating Wallace not to push too soon. It was enough that he was genuinely trying. "Okay. But don't keep me waiting long," she said.

"Thanks! I won't," he assured her. He leaned over and kissed her. Daisy couldn't resist throwing her arms around his neck and taking the kiss deeper than he planned. _Always leave them wanting more _was her motto. Jason groaned as he pulled back. "You're the devil! Quit tempting me! I'll just be five minutes. I promise!"

Daisy laughed in satisfaction. "Remember it doesn't pay to make the Devil angry," she warned with a mischievous grin.

Jason laughed and got out of the car. If he didn't leave now, he might not. And he knew Eli would ask him as soon as he got home if he stopped and talked to his sister.

When Jason made it inside his sister's, the place seemed deserted. He went upstairs to her room. After knocking on the door, he opened it to find the room dark. He flipped the light switch. Jazmin rose up, startled from the bed.

"God, Jason! You scared me half to death!" Jazmin yelled, throwing a pillow at him. She had to take a deep breath and try to slow down her racing heart. He couldn't be allowed to see the very real terror that was never far away.

He grinned. "Sorry! I was just dropping by to check on you. Eli said you weren't feeling well. I was worried," he said, not sharing exactly what Eli told him.

Jazmin grimaced. "Eli is being silly. It's that time of the month, and I'm more emotional than normal. He hasn't really seen that from me before is all," she said casually. Waylaying her brother's concerns would be tricky. He usually saw everything.

"Daisy's in the car. We're about to go grab dinner. Do you want me to bring you back something?" he asked.

For once Jazmin was actually grateful to Daisy for distracting her brother. "No. I'm good. Besides, I doubt Daisy would like that," she said, forcing her mouth to form a smile. She had to put on a brave face or this would never work. The truth would come out.

"She'd get over it," Jason remarked with a shrug. "You're my other half. No one is more important to me than you."

Although his devotion warmed her, Jazmin knew it was time for her to step back, especially now that she wanted to keep something important from him. "It's time for things to change between us, Jay. It's okay to let someone else come first sometimes. I know you're always here if I need you and that's all that matters. Just like I'm here for you," Jazmin told him.

Jason grinned, happy with her and pleased she was getting over her resentment of Daisy. "You really are the best sister. I love you! Are you sure you're okay? You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?" he probed, searching her eyes intently. For a moment, he thought he saw a flicker. Then it was gone. He decided to trust her. She knew she could talk to him if she needed to. She always did.

"I love you, too. And if I needed to share something with you, I would. I couldn't be happy without you in my life. Knowing you're always there for me means a lot. But I'm fine. Eli's just being a good boyfriend," Jazmin said easily.

Jason was reassured and waved goodbye as he went to rejoin Daisy. Jazmin felt sick with guilt after her brother left. She had never lied to her brother before in her life. He was always the one person she could count on. The one person who never let her down. No matter how much he might blame himself for Joseph, she never had. She hadn't listened to his warnings or his advice to go slow. However, the nightmare with Joseph had made Jason even more protective. And now that she had been so hurt, so violated, she wanted nothing more than to turn to him like she always had. To hand him her burden to take care of. However, she couldn't be so selfish. She couldn't do that to him. Not only would he blame himself, but she knew what the result would be if she confessed. He'd be single-minded in his pursuit of revenge. Nothing else would matter-not school, not work, and not Daisy. Although Jazmin still didn't care much for Daisy, her brother did. Daisy made him happy. Jazmin knew that Daisy would not wait around while her brother focused all his energy on a revenge plan.

But most of all, Jazmin didn't want to watch her beloved brother turn into her father. She couldn't let him be destroyed. Not after all his careful plans, his vision, and goal to legitimize their father's businesses someday. He was so determined to be different, to be better. And she was so proud of him for that.

She'd get through this on her own. It was past time she quit expecting her brother to take care of her. She was stupid enough to walk into an empty bedroom with a guy who had made his obsession with her obvious. She had been naïve and foolish. Now she was paying the price. It was a price she must pay alone. Neither her brother nor Eli would suffer because of her stupidity. Somehow, someway she'd find a way to move passed what happened.

The silent tears that rolled down her cheeks betrayed her resolve. Luckily, no one was around to see her shattered face. She wiped the tears, got up, and turned off the bedroom light. For some reason, the darkness brought her comfort. All her energy gone, she crawled back to her bed. If only the darkness could just swallow her up.

_*****Chapter End_******

_Like always, your reviews mean a lot and give me motivation to write more and post quickly!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks so much for your continual support. You all are the best!**

Chapter 9: An Irksome Development

*****_Monday_******

Jazmin woke up Monday morning unwilling to face the day. The thought of going to campus and running into David terrified her. She wasn't strong enough yet. How could she pretend everything was okay if she was confronted with him? However, she knew that she couldn't spend another day locked in her room because her friends would grow suspicious and concerned. After forcing herself to take a shower and dress, she grabbed her camera. She'd go to the beach and take pictures. Losing herself in her art always centered her. Although she didn't have the excitement she normally had when planning a day of photography, the change of scenery had to do her some good. Regardless of how she felt, she had to get out of the house before her friends started asking too many questions. Questions she didn't want to answer. If she could avoid everyone for a few days, she wouldn't have to lie. Deception wasn't part of nature. It was hard enough keeping this from Jason and Eli. Doing so drained whatever energy she had left after her sleepless nights.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror on the way to the bathroom. Her appearance made her pause. There were shadows under her eyes. Her light skin was even paler than normal. She grimaced. She was going to have to break out the cosmetics today. Another lie. She was full of them. Self-loathing forced her to turn away. She couldn't look at herself anymore.

******_Hearst******_

Duncan was having a solitary cup of coffee in the school cafeteria when Madison Sinclair spotted him. Madison, armed with the information Mac let slip, decided she could not pass up an opportunity to console the heartbroken Kane. After all, that was how she'd managed to get Logan once upon a time.

"Hey, Duncan," Madison said when she made it to his table. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Duncan knew Madison was trouble, but he was feeling lonely and decided company-even if it was Madison-was preferable to his own.

Shortly after, Mac and Parker came into the cafeteria to get breakfast.

"We really need to make some time to buy groceries," Parker remarked. "It'd be much cheaper!"

They made their purchases and were carrying their trays looking for a table. Parker spotted Duncan sitting with another girl. Duncan happened to glance up and see Parker almost at the same time. Their eyes locked for a moment. Duncan decided not to let her see how much she'd hurt him and carelessly looked away. He was tired of feeling like a loser in love, so he gave Madison a warm smile. She, of course, took his sudden warmth for encouragement and moved even closer to him.

"Looks like you guys were wrong about Duncan. He's obviously not suffering from a broken heart," Parker remarked sourly, gesturing to his table.

Mac looked and saw what Parker was referring to. She winced. "That's my fault," she confessed.

Parker gave her a questioning look. "How so?" she asked.

"Yesterday, I was at Madison's tutoring her and let it slip that Duncan was recently single," Mac replied.

"Why would you do that?" Parker wondered with a frown.

"Dick and I went out drinking Friday night with Duncan after he and Logan almost came to blows. She asked me why I was hung over and without thinking I told her," Mac confessed. "I should've known better!"

"Why did Duncan and Logan get into it?" Parker asked.

"Duncan was mad at Veronica for not giving him a heads up about Piz's upcoming arrival. This was the second time Veronica knew in advance that a break-up was coming and didn't tell Duncan. The same thing happened with Jazmin. He was hurt and pretty pissed. He said something cruel to Veronica, and Logan didn't appreciate it. We dragged him out of the house before a fight could break out. Dick's solution, naturally, was to get him trashed," Mac shared.

Parker sighed unhappily. "I'm sorry I've caused such a mess! I didn't mean to," Parker said, feeling guilty.

"Relationships are never easy. It's not your fault," Mac said.

"I'm going to take my coffee and bagel outside," Parker decided.

"Okay, I'm going to go ruin Madison's alone time with Duncan," Mac decided, flashing Parker a smile.

"He should date someone else. I don't expect him to be alone, especially while I'm with Piz," Parker said.

"I care about Duncan too much to let Madison get her claws in him!" Mac declared. Then she headed to the table Duncan and Madison were at.

Parker watched her with a frown. She didn't like seeing Duncan with another woman, but why should it matter? Feeling confused and guilty, she left the cafeteria.

"Hey, Duncan. Madison," Mac said with a bright smile. She didn't wait for an invitation but sat in the open chair.

"Good morning, Mac," Duncan said, smiling.

Madison gave her a sour look. "Yes, good morning," Madison said with false sweetness.

"So what are you two up to?" Mac asked brightly. She was enjoying being able to throw a wrench in Madison's plans.

"I was just telling Duncan about my sister's birthday party this weekend," Madison said.

"Don't you mean _our_ sister?" Mac reminded her with her own false sweetness.

"Of course, _our_ sister," Madison agreed easily. Then she turned to Duncan. "Would you like to come as my date? We're dressing up as _The Wizard of Oz. _Lauren's going to be Dorothy, and I'm Glenda the Good Witch. Mac's going to be the Wicked Witch."

Duncan laughed. "You agreed to that?" he asked Mac.

"It'll be fun. Just imagine how freaked out Dick will be when he sees me!" Mac exclaimed, grinning at the thought.

"What is Dick going as?" Duncan asked.

"The Lion. Veronica will be the Scarecrow and Logan the Tin Man," Mac shared. Then she thought of a way to derail Madison's plans. "You should come, Duncan. Bring Lily. She'll love it! She can dress as Dorothy, too. Lauren won't mind. In fact, she'd probably be very excited about it."

Duncan grinned at the thought while Madison shot Mac a glare.

"She _would_ love it," Duncan said. "Would you mind if Lily came?" he asked Madison.

Madison put on a bright smile. "Of course not! I'd love to finally meet her. The more the merrier," Madison said graciously.

"I can dress as Toto! Lily will get a kick out of that!" Duncan said with enthusiasm. There was nothing that made him happier than making his daughter happy.

Madison decided to take what she could get and ignore Mac's too satisfied smile. She had an opportunity with Duncan. A real one. She wasn't going to blow this. She smiled back at Mac, a challenge in her smile.

*****_The Next Day*****_

Tuesday morning Daisy, Jason, and Veronica were leaving their profiling class.

"So what's up with your sister?" Veronica asked Jason.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"I've been calling her since our party that was almost two weeks ago, and she hasn't called me back," Veronica shared.

"Well, she wasn't feeling well this weekend. I know that Eli was worried about her, but I checked on her Sunday evening. She'll be okay," Jason said.

"Why is she avoiding me? Is she mad at me? Logan said she was upset with me over a comment I said at the party," Veronica said with a frown.

"If she's mad, she didn't share it with me. Normally if she's too upset, she would, so I wouldn't worry too much. It's easy to get caught up in school and other things," Jason said, giving Daisy a lingering look.

Daisy smiled with smug satisfaction. Then she turned to Veronica. "Let me guess. She was trashing me and got mad at you for defending me, right?" Daisy inquired.

Veronica blanched but nodded and said, "I told her that Jason had been the one upsetting you and not the other way around. She had a hard time believing that because Jason has never hurt her. Then Logan made a comment about guys treating the women they were sleeping with or wanting to sleep with differently than their sisters or mothers."

"Yes,'cause Saint Jason never does anything wrong!" Daisy said sarcastically.

"That is a fact!" Jason said with a wide grin.

Daisy elbowed him in the side. "Not!" she exclaimed with an eye roll causing Veronica to snicker.

"I told her and Logan that they were both blind if they couldn't see that there was more between you guys than just sex," Veronica said.

Daisy grinned and threw and arm over her shoulder. "You're such a loyal Barbie! You should definitely get the Friend of the Year award!" she said with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I am Jazmin's friend, too, and I wish you both would be friends. I don't like to be in the middle of friends. Parker and Duncan's parting of ways is enough for me!" Veronica complained.

"I've been saying the same thing," Jason agreed. "I think Jazmin's coming around though. She had not one rude comment to say when I dropped by to check on her Sunday before our date."

"Now _that_ is an amazing feat!" Daisy said, smiling.

Jason put his arm back around her shoulders. He kissed her cheek and said, "My sister loves me. She just wants me to be happy, and you make me happy."

Daisy felt her insides melt at his words. If he wasn't careful, she may actually fall in love with him. The thought made her both nervous and excited. She had never been in love. Not really. Not the way her friends were.

Veronica couldn't help but smile at the picture they made.

******_Java Hut******_

Weevil had called Logan and set up a lunch meeting at the Hut with him and Jason. Logan hoped they had tracked down Leanne.

"So, do you guys have some news for me?" Logan asked after greeting them.

"Yep. We've tracked her down," Weevil said.

"What's this 'we'? Don't you mean _I_ tracked her down?" Jason boasted.

"Like it was any work. She had a cell phone in her name. It was the easiest locate yet!" Weevil said mockingly.

"You found Leanne? Already?" Logan asked, impressed.

"Yes, we did," Weevil said.

"So where is she?" Logan asked impatiently.

"She's in Oregon. In the Portland area," Weevil said.

"A town called Happy Valley," Jason added.

"That's great! I'm glad you found her so quickly!" Logan said.

"I'm sort of surprised that Veronica didn't long before now," Jason remarked.

Logan gave Weevil a questioning glance. Weevil's head slightly shook. No, he hadn't shared any of Veronica's family history with Jason.

"Her mother taking off really hurt her," Logan said. "She has this motto. 'The hero is the one that stays.' I mentioned to her about looking up her mom, and she got really upset, insisting that if her mom cared about her she would've come home already."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? She's fragile right now," Weevil said with concern.

"I think I know what's best for the mother of my child, thanks," Logan said dryly.

Weevil held up his hand in surrender. "No offense! I was just saying. V's not someone I want to piss off on a good day," Weevil said.

"Believe me, if I didn't think this was the best thing for her, I wouldn't be having you do this," Logan said. "Veronica is pregnant with her first child. Of course, she wants her mother with her, especially during the delivery."

"So what's the plan?" Jason asked.

"Well, I don't want to tell Veronica anything until I assess the condition of her mother. Is she sober? Did she remarry? What's she been up to? I need to know before we tell Veronica anything," Logan said. "Also, check and see what her contact with Jake Kane has been."

"Okay. We can check it," Weevil said. He didn't bother asking why. Lilly had once let it slip that her dad was a bit too fond of the Sheriff's wife.

"I can't leave town right now. Too many balls in the air. I'm taking six classes this semester, working, the paper, and Daisy," Jason said. The new editor had let him resume his sports articles.

"It's fine. I can go this weekend. I can be back by Monday sometime," Weevil said.

"Great. Please, don't tell Jazmin anything," Logan said. "Women are genetically programmed to share everything with their girlfriends, especially if it concerns them."

Jason laughed. "I've noticed. Jazzie tells me a lot less since she finally got some girlfriends," he said.

"I'm not a gossip. Don't worry," Weevil said. "I'll call you when I get back Monday and let you know what I find out."

Logan smiled with satisfaction. Giving Veronica back her mother would help her heal. The wound his mother left him would never fully heal and there was nothing he could do about it because she was gone. However, Veronica had the chance to resolve the issues between her and her mom, and Logan would make sure she took it.

******_That Evening******_

Eli dropped by to see Jazmin after he was done for the day. He was disturbed to find her in bed again.

"Babe, are you not feeling better?" he asked in concern. He sat down on her bed.

Jazmin mentally groaned. She knew she had to get it together or things would become so much worse. She forced a smile. "I'm okay. Just drained. I've been taking a lot of photos the past two days. I went to the beach," she said.

Eli was relieved to hear that. "I'd love to see what you took," he said.

"Why don't you take me to dinner, and I'll show you? I'll bring my camera," she suggested, knowing he needed to see her leave the house.

Eli smiled. "That sounds perfect. I'll meet you downstairs," he said.

Jazmin went into the bathroom to freshen up. She automatically tensed when she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The girl she saw staring back at her seemed like a stranger. The joy and anticipation a dinner with Eli normally brought her wasn't there. She seemed hollow somehow or maybe it was just her imagination. She practiced smiling in the mirror, knowing that this dinner was important. Eli was so important to her, and she didn't want to upset him. However, she hated deceiving him. Knowing it was the best thing made her determined to see it through.

A half an hour later, they were having dinner at Chuy's. Jazmin had worked up some enthusiasm for the photos on her camera and showed them to Eli.

"So when are you going to have like a show?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You know. One of those art shows that artist have where you show off your work," Eli said.

A real smile broke out on her face. He always knew how to make her feel good even when she didn't think it was possible. "I've got a long way to go before I'm ready for that!" she replied.

"Why? Your stuff is sensational!" Eli insisted.

"I think you may be a tad biased," she said, smiling. "The school does have a spring art show though. You can submit paintings, crafts, or photos. Anything really."

"Well, you definitely should do that!" he encouraged.

"If I find the perfect picture, I might. It's too soon to think about now," she said with a shrug. Just thinking about tomorrow was hard enough right now.

"So I was wondering if you'd be interested in taking a short trip with me this weekend," Eli wondered. "I have to go to Portland for a case. Just some leg work. Nothing dangerous or hard. But Jason's too busy, so it's up to me. What do you think?"

A week ago, the idea of going on a weekend trip with him would've made her delirious with joy and excitement. She cursed David and wished him a painful death for the thousandth time for poisoning even her relationship with Eli. However, she knew that she could not fake it for an extended time with him. Nor was she ready to be intimate with him. The thought of sex with anyone, even the man she loved, terrified her. She put her hand on her stomach that suddenly felt queasy. "That's so sweet of you!" she gushed as expected. "I'd love sometime to go with you on a trip, but this weekend won't work. I didn't do any work all weekend because I wasn't feeling well. I have one project and one essay that I need to get done by Monday. I'm sorry."

Eli looked disappointed. He had figured that he could just slip out for an hour or so to track down Leanne Mars. Spending an entire weekend at a nice hotel with maybe a hot tub would've been pretty amazing. "What if I find a hotel with a hot tub? If you're relaxed, you can do better work! You can bring your laptop and work while I take care of some work I have to do," he offered, wanting to convince her.

She smiled. "That does sound amazing," she said. Her mind raced as she thought of how she could get out of it without hurting his feelings or making him suspicious. "Why don't we plan a trip at the end of the semester before I go home to Chicago? Wouldn't that be great? No distractions. We could take our time."

He did like that idea. "I don't want to think about you going away for Christmas break," he said. "But a trip with just us before you go would be nice. You are staying in town for Thanksgiving, right? My grandmother is already asking me if you're going to be joining us."

She nodded. "Yes, I don't think Jason wants to go home. And I only wanted to go home to see him," she said.

"Good. I'll tell Grandma that you and Jason will be joining us then. She will be very happy," Eli said happily.

Jazmin couldn't really think about the holidays. She just had to get through the next few weeks. A sense of helplessness came over her. How was she going to keep this charade up?

*****_*Wednesday_******

For once Logan and Veronica were in their mythology class before Mac and Dick.

"Hey, guys," Veronica said, greeting them when they arrived. "We actually beat you guys to class. Dick seems to rarely be at the house these days."

"Dad's still gone, so we're still enjoying our time alone at the house," Dick said with a grin.

"Today we had breakfast with the moms and planned Lauren's party this weekend. We're going to go after school today to pick up costumes. Are you guys on board with _The Wizard of Oz_ theme?" Mac asked them.

"Very cool!" Veronica said.

"It totally sucks! I have the hottest fiancé in town, and you want her to dress as a scarecrow? What a waste!" Logan exclaimed in disgust.

"Yeah, right?" Dick agreed. "Unless you can make it a sexy scarecrow. Can you do that? Is that even possible?" He frowned, contemplating it.

"No, you doof, it's not!" Veronica said with an eye roll. "It'll be fun!"

"You're not the one selected to be the Tin Man!" Logan complained.

"We won't make you wear actual tin. I'll find something that is metallic looking, okay?" Mac said.

"Oh, are you going to pick up the costumes?" Veronica asked eagerly.

"Marilyn insists on picking up the bill for the since it was Lauren's idea. Just write down the sizes you want me to get, and I'll get them. Of course, you're welcome to come, but I didn't figure you'd want to," Mac said.

"Madison's going to be going with you, right?" Veronica inquired.

"Yep," Mac replied.

"Nope, I sure don't! Thanks!" Veronica agreed.

"You better tell her, babe," Dick told Mac.

Veronica caught Mac's wary look. "Tell me what?" Veronica asked.

"Well, this is sort of my fault, and I'm really sorry," Mac hedged.

Veronica looked alarmed and gave Logan a questioning look.

He shrugged. "Don't look at me. No one ever tells me the good gossip first!" he said.

Looking guilty and uncomfortable, Mac began,"Um, see..uh, last Saturday after Dick and I went out with Duncan...you know after the argument at the house…I..uh…went to Madison's to tutor her and well, I sort of.."

Dick grew impatient with her rambling explanation and blurted out, "Madison asked Duncan to be her date to the party, and he said yes!"

Mac glared at Dick. "Sorry, babe, but you were killing me!" Dick defended.

"What? No way!" Veronica insisted, dismayed.

"I let it slip that I was hung over because we had been out with a newly dumped Duncan the night before. Then Monday when Parker and I were getting breakfast in the school cafeteria, we spotted Madison sitting with Duncan. I joined them and she was asking him to be her date," Mac revealed.

"No, no, no! This cannot be happening!" Veronica groaned, slapping her hand on her desk. Students around her looked at her in surprise, but she was oblivious. "What is he thinking?"

Logan knew better than to say anything at all when it came to Madison, so he wisely remained silent. However, Dick had not yet learned such wisdom. "He's thinking he's dumped once again and a hot chick-even if she is Madison- is better than no chick. At least she wants to be with him, unlike stupid Parker who'd rather be with that loser Piz!" Dick said, loyally.

"He's not a loser!" Mac and Veronica said automatically.

"Not the issue," Logan threw in. He never liked to hear Veronica defend any of her exes even though Piz was not really a bad guy.

"Parker's not stupid," Mac added. "She just has a big heart and doesn't give up easily on the man she loves. Just like us." She gave a pointed look to both men.

"_Anyway_, why would Duncan let Madison get her claws into him?" Veronica wondered.

"Well, I did manage to suggest that he bring Lily, so it won't be much of a date," Mac said with a satisfied smile.

Veronica perked up at the thought. "That's good at least," she said.

"She's coming with us today. Lauren thought that a mini-me of Dororthy would be fun, so she asked me if I could get Duncan to agree to bring her to pick out the costume," Mac said.

"Oh, she'll love that!" Veronica gushed. "Damn it! It's not fair! Now I want to go, but I don't want to spend that much time with Madison, especially since I know she won't fail to both gloat and remind me about her one fleeting encounter with a similarly broken-up Logan."

"What encounter? Remember?" Logan reminded her of their agreement. By mutual agreement, that horrible incident is gone forever from their couple memory.

Dick opened his mouth to remind them when he caught Mac's head shake. He shut his mouth. Mac always knew what to do, and Dick had grown to trust her instincts. Besides, he didn't want Veronica ranting more than normal.

"Why don't we look on the bright side?" Logan suggested, changing the subject somewhat.

They all looked at him curiously. "What bright side?" Veronica wondered.

"Maybe seeing Duncan with another woman will make Parker jealous," Logan said. He looked and Mac. "Was Parker happy to see Duncan with another woman?"

Mac shook her head. "No, she definitely was not," Mac remarked.

"If Parker is truly happy with Piz, she won't really care who Duncan is with. In fact, she would be happy he moved on," Logan pointed out. "I never cared at all who my exes dated-except for Veronica."

"True. It never bothered me when Madison started shagging other guys. Just that I wasn't getting any," Dick shared with a smirk.

"Oui! Ick! T.M.I. Dick! Gross!" Veronica complained with a grimace.

Logan chuckled and reached over to pat her hand. "Don't worry, sugarpuss. Just be grateful he's with Mac now!" Logan said with a grin.

"Believe me, I am!" Veronica exclaimed. "I'm not sure Madison spending anytime with Duncan or Lily, especially Lily, is a good idea. Duncan's hurting and vulnerable right now."

"He's a big boy. He'll be fine. He had known Madison his entire life and has never fallen for her or any of her tricks," Logan pointed out.

Veronica was somewhat mollified by that thought as their class began.

******_At the Beach House_******

Later that night when they were preparing for bed, Veronica couldn't quit obsessing over Duncan willingly spending time with Madison. She had been keeping a running commentary on her various thoughts and opinions about the irksome subject.

"I just don't understand what he's thinking! Why would he stoop so low? Do you think he's doing it to punish me? He's mad at me and is trying to get back at me?" Veronica wondered aloud to Logan.

Logan was quite sick of the subject and had been pretending to care for the past ten minutes. He made a mental note to track down Duncan as soon as possible and beat the crap out of him for causing such upheaval in Logan's domestic bliss.

Since he was preoccupied with that mental picture, he failed to give his other half the required response. She paused in the application of her facial cream to look at him expectantly. "Logan?" she prodded.

Logan mentally reviewed the last comment he half-listened to. Then he said, "Well, love of my life, mother of my child, remember _my_ world and every thought and action revolves around you. Duncan's, I'm happy to say, does _not_! So you need to chill about it!" He stalked her like a cheetah sensing his prey. He knew just what to do to end his torment.

Veronica put away her lotion. Through her vanity mirror, she caught the determined gleam in his eyes. She frowned in annoyance. "Oh, I'm sorry! Am I boring you with my concerns?" she asked sarcastically, finding his dismissive tone annoying.

"Yes!" he exclaimed with a grin. He met her gaze in the mirror as he came up behind her. He placed a kiss on the nape of his neck, one of his favorite places in the world. "But I have figured out how to end my suffering!" He gave her a wicked grin.

"Your suffering?" she said in outrage as she turned around to face him. But as she opened her mouth to offer her protest, he caught her lips in a hungry kiss.

Like always, she was powerless against his onslaught. He kissed her relentlessly. Finally, their necessity for air had him moving his lips from her mouth down her neck, nibbling and sucking, causing her to groan in pleasure. "You can't just kiss me like this when I want to talk! It's not fair!" she complained, not pulling away.

"Sure I can," he replied, smiling in satisfaction against her neck. "I can do whatever I want to this body, remember? You told me that once!"

Her eyes flashed with fire as she pulled away. "Totally not fair to use my sex words against me!" she exclaimed in outrage.

Logan grinned. "I think I'm going to beat Duncan up for you just so I can quit hearing about this subject," he declared as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. He wasted no time in removing her night shirt.

Veronica finally smiled. "No need for those extremes. I'll handle Duncan," she told him confidently.

"I'm sure you will. And now I can handle you," he said smugly as he enfolded both her sensitive breasts into his hands and squeezed. He flipped her nipples with his thumbs causing her to moan. "I totally am in love with this pregnancy thing! Your breasts are already fuller and so sensitive. Just watching you respond to my touch makes me want to explode in my pants."

"It almost just takes a touch to get me to melt," she gasped out as he twisted one nipple.

"But this makes you come apart," Logan said eagerly as he put his mouth to one breast and sucked hard while twisting and pulling on the other nipple. And just like that she exploded, her knees started to give out.

He caught her and grinned down at her pleasure. "That is the hottest thing I've ever seen in my life!" He effortlessly swept her up in his arms and walked the few steps to their bed. After laying her boneless body down, he removed her panties and took off his own clothes, leaving on his boxers.

"You are too talented!" she observed, closing her eyes in contentment. What were they talking about?

"How about we try to set a new record?" Logan suggested with an arrogant half smile.

"For what?" her clouded mind replied.

"How many times I can get you to scream my name," he replied as he roughly inserted two fingers into her wet core. She gasped his name. "That's one!"

When he put his mouth to her, she screamed. "That's two!" he said against her folds. Then he became caught up in her and forgot all about the count.

******_Chapter End******_

_Now that was fun! Hope you thought so, too! Remember, I love your reviews like a preacher loves his bible! Yes, Jazmin's dilemma will continue to be unsolved while life goes on around her. I hope you'll find it interesting and not annoying! _


	10. Chapter 10

**FYI: If you are a fan of Vampire Diaries or Buffy, I have posted a fun crossover story. You can find it on my profile page.**

**For those frustrated with Jazmin: Like I said previously, Jazmin will NOT be telling anyone, so get over it, please. It's crucial to my storyline. I am both writing in character and writing according to 80% of most rape victims! If you can't feel sympathy for a fictional character who has very real reasons for not telling (unlike most woman who just feel ashamed), I am sorry but please quit commenting on it, please. She won't tell, no one will know until the story is practically over. You're REALLY going to hate my next storyline if this one bothers you so much, so don't say you weren't warned. Maybe you'll like my next story better.**

**I will try to get to the "Ricochet" sequel before my school break is over!**

**I think most everyone will like this chapter. It's not overly controversial. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas! Happy New Year!**

Chapter 10: Game Night

******_Thursday******_

When Jazmin didn't come to their photography club meeting, Veronica decided to take action. She hadn't talked to Jazmin since their party, and it was really bothering her. Jazmin had become a close friend, and she didn't like thinking that Jazmin was so upset with her that she was avoiding her. Upsetting Duncan was bad enough, but Jazmin was different. Veronica knew that she was the first close girlfriend Jazmin had ever had, and Jazmin depended on their friendship. Veronica didn't like the idea of letting her down. She just wished all her friends got along. It was ironic that Jazmin and Daisy couldn't find a way to be friends because Veronica suspected they both were often very lonely sometimes. Daisy surrounded herself with people, but Veronica didn't think she had many close friends before befriending Mac and Veronica. She knew that Jazmin had only ever had Jason and Joseph. In many ways, they both were lonely souls. Veronica wished the two of them would see in each other what she saw in them both.

After wandering around campus for a good hour and getting a tip from Weevil, she finally tracked Jazmin in the library.

"There you are! Finally!" Veronica exclaimed. Jazmin's head came up quickly. The flash of fear in her face made Veronica feel guilty for startling her. "Sorry for spooking you!" She put her messenger bag down on the table Jazmin was using and sat down across from her.

"It's okay," Jazmin said softly. "It's good to see you."

"Is it? I was thinking you were upset and avoiding me," Veronica said carefully. She looked closely at Jazmin and frowned. Veronica had never seen her looking less than perfect. Jazmin was a natural beauty and always looked impeccable without any real effort. However, today Jazmin looked almost washed out and listless.

"No, I'm not upset with you," Jazmin replied. "I'm sorry I didn't call you back. I was distracted with other things, but I'm not mad."

"Are you okay?" Veronica asked in concern.

"I'm just tired. I haven't had much energy lately," Jazmin told her. Veronica was one of the last people she'd tell what happened to her because her revenge tactics were legendary. She was relentless like Jason and if she didn't go straight to her father, the sheriff, she'd spend her energy concocting ways to make David pay. It was definitely _not_ something she needed to be doing in her condition. Jazmin knew better than anyone had fragile a pregnant woman was. And she knew how dangerous David was. Jazmin didn't believe a man like David would hesitate to hurt a pregnant woman, and she would never put Veronica at risk.

Veronica grinned. "Maybe you're pregnant! I didn't have any energy at all the first few weeks I was pregnant!" Veronica suggested, only half-joking. If it hadn't been for Daisy, who knows how long it would've taken Veronica to figure it out?

"No!" Jazmin exclaimed, upset and horrified at the thought.

Veronica laughed at her reaction. "Well, you never know!" she teased.

Veronica realized that Jazmin didn't find her teasing at all funny. Instead, she looked really upset, almost in tears. Veronica reached over and patted her hand. "I was just teasing! I'm sure you're not pregnant. But if you were, Weevil would be thrilled."

Jazmin wanted to throw up. Panic filled her. For the first time since she met her, she really wished Veronica Mars would just shut up and leave her alone.

Feeling guilty for upsetting her, Veronica misunderstood her silence and sought to reassure her. "Weevil isn't anything like Joseph. If you were pregnant, it would be a beautiful, wonderful thing," Veronica said.

Jazmin just stared wordlessly at her, not really listening to what Veronica was saying. David wore a condom. And she was on the pill. Surely, God wouldn't be so cruel. There was no way. Surely not.

Veronica was starting to become upset by Jazmin's behavior and her mind raced with a way to make things better between them. An idea occurred to her. "Jazmin, I would really love it if you would come to my place tomorrow night. I'll invite Jason and Daisy. We'll have a game night or do something else. Wallace has an away game, so he and Parker will be out of town. You and Weevil have to come, too," Veronica insisted. "It'll be a couple's night."

"Eli has to go out of town on business," Jazmin said.

Veronica wouldn't be deterred. "Then we can invite Thea, so there won't be an odd number. I want to get to know her better anyway. Wallace really likes her but says she is oblivious to his charms," Veronica said.

"She's sweet," Jazmin said, forcing back the tears that threatened at the thought of an unwanted pregnancy. She pushed it out of her mind and focused on Veronica. She didn't want Veronica looking to closely at her.

"Wallace says that she's not like other girls. Very driven," Veronica said.

"He's right. She was the smartest person in our elementary school. I think Jay was relieved when she moved. He never liked not being the smartest person in the room," Jazmin said, smiling for the first time.

"I think it's great that you and Thea went to grade school together and both ended up here in Neptune! Small world! It's fate. You were fated to meet us and so was she!" Veronica enthused.

"That's a romantic view," Jazmin stated.

"I've never thought of myself as romantic, but I think Logan's rubbing off on me," she said with a fond smile.

"I'm not sure that I believe in fate," Jazmin said solemnly.

"Really? Isn't that like a prerequisite for being Italian? Romance is in your DNA!" Veronica said with a cheeky grin. "Your grandmother told me many a romantic tale over the summer."

"Yes, she is 100% romantic. But the idea of fate kind of breaks my heart," Jazmin said, a faraway look in her eyes that puzzled Veronica.

"Really why?" Veronica asked.

"Think of your life. Think of things that have happened to you. Think of things that have happened to me. Do you think it was fate that your best friend was murdered by her boyfriend's father? Do you think it was fate that my baby died?" Jazmin asked bluntly.

"No, I don't. I think it was evil that caused those things," Veronica replied grimly.

"Not just evil but evil _men_ that have no respect for fate. They just take what they want and to hell with everyone else," Jazmin said bitterly.

Veronica was taken aback by Jazmin's uncharacteristic bitterness, and she just looked at Jazmin in silence a moment.

Jazmin quickly realized her mistake. The last thing she wanted was her too clever friend focusing her vast powers of observation and mystery solving on her. She had revealed too much with her words. She forced a half smile. "Sorry. I've been in a mood all week. A night of fun with friends sounds perfect! It's exactly what I need. I'll be there. What time?" she asked.

"How about seven? I'll make Dick go pick up some pizzas," Veronica said. She got up. "I'll let you get back to your studying. See you tomorrow."

After Veronica left, Jazmin packed up her stuff and got up. Even though she knew the possibility was slim, Veronica's careless comment had taken root. What if she was pregnant? Veronica had gotten pregnant on the pill. It happens. Condoms weren't foolproof. If her rape resulted in a pregnancy, she'd die. Her faith would not let her consider terminating any pregnancy no matter the circumstances. After she had miscarried, she had taken solace in the thought that one day she'd have another baby with a man who loved her the way she deserved to be loved. Finally, she had the perfect man. But if she was pregnant, the baby might not be his. The thought of that possibility made her want to throw up. Was her nightmare going to be unending?

Jazmin left the library to go buy a pregnancy test. She wouldn't rest until she knew there wasn't any possibility of such a horror occurring.

When Veronica got outside the library, she pulled out her phone to call Logan and tell him about her sudden plans for tomorrow night. His voicemail picked up. She smiled as she listened to today's inspirational message. "'Remember tonight for it is the beginning of always,' Dante." Veronica loved the quote her romantic fiancée picked out. Jazmin's grim views had always been Veronica's. But somehow being with Logan gave her hope. She wanted her always to be with him. She left him a message. "That quote is amazing! I am looking forward to our always. I hope our baby inherits your romantic soul. I called to tell you to not make plans for tomorrow night. We're going to have a few friends over tomorrow."

_*****At the Beach House*****_

As Veronica spent yet another evening obsessing over Duncan, Logan made a mental note to have a serious talk with the man.

"I can't believe Duncan's refusing to come hang out with us! He is _still_ mad! I can't believe it! Since when did it become _my _place to police his love life?" she asked in outrage.

"Well, you can see him Saturday night at Lauren's birthday party. Since he's bringing Lily, he can't escape you and he has to be nice!" Logan told her with a smirk.

Veronica's expression brightened. "True!" she agreed.

"And just think about all the fun you'll have ruining Madison's evening!" Logan said.

Veronica grinned at the thought. "You're right! It's going to be a great weekend!" she enthused.

Trina came into the living room. "Where's Richie's dress shoes?" she asked Veronica.

"Why would you need his dress shoes?" Veronica asked.

"So I can dress him up, of course!" Trina replied with an eye roll.

"Of course, Veronica! To dress him up!" Logan snarked.

Veronica gave Logan a perplexed look. "But why? Are you getting his pictures done? 'Cause I so want us to do that for Christmas!" she enthused.

"No, not for pictures. I'm going to take him on a weekend trip to New York," Trina asked. "Where's the shoes?"

Logan and Veronica gaped at her and then exchanged looks. "What do you mean, Trina?" Logan asked.

"What do you think I meant? One of my girlfriends had a baby last year and was saying her baby was cuter than my baby. I'm going to take Richie to her and make her eat her words!" Trina said determinedly.

"How long? You just started back to work," Logan pointed out as he reached over and put a restraining hand on Veronica.

"We're going to leave tomorrow. I'll be back Sunday night, so don't worry," Trina said. "Mother Mary got him the cutest little sailor suit. I need his dress shoes."

Veronica got up and faced Trina, ready to battle. "You can't just take Richie and show him off like he's a shiny new toy! Besides, he's too little to fly!" Veronica insisted.

"No, he's not. I checked," Trina said.

"Logan, tell her that she can't do this!" Veronica said, turning to him.

"Veronica, Logan can't tell me anything. He's not the boss of me. Nor do you guys have any say over what I do or don't do with _my_ son!" Trina said in annoyance.

Veronica was getting really upset. A sense of fear and helplessness came over her. She rarely ever felt helpless but now she did. She turned to Logan, who got up and put his arm around her shoulders in comfort. "Trina, we love Richie. You know Veronica worries. Don't be so mean!" he admonished.

"Look, I appreciate everything you guys have done for me. You know I love you both. You've made me feel at home. You gave me confidence to keep Richie. I owe you a lot, but you've got to give me some space," Trina said.

"You're not going to just leave and take him! You can't do that!" Veronica said with very real fear in voice.

"Relax, Ronnie! We're coming back in two days!" Trina assured her. "I wouldn't just take Richie and leave you guys! I know how much you love him. I'd never do that to you! I swear!"

"You promise?" Veronica asked anxiously.

Trina rolled her eyes impatiently. "Sheesh! Yes, alright? I promise! Besides, who would I get to babysit? None of my friends would do that!" she said.

Veronica relaxed. "His shoes are still in the box on the top shelf of the hallway closet," she told Trina.

Trina thanked her and left to get them. Veronica turned to Logan. "He'll be fine," Logan assured her, hugging her close.

"Logan, I hate that we have no say in Richie! I haven't felt so powerless since you were almost dying in the hospital!" Veronica complained, trying hard not to cry.

She looked up at him. He knew how she felt because he felt the same way every time she cried. He wiped the tears that were leaking out of her eyes. "Snookums, it's going to be okay. I know my sister. She's flighty, but she genuinely loves Richie. She won't do anything to hurt him. She knows how much we love him, and he loves us. He'll be fine," Logan assured her. He ignored his own misgivings. Trina had grown up a lot the past few months. Logan had to trust that she'd put Richie's welfare first.

******_At Jazmin's******_

Jazmin had been sitting on her bed staring at the two pregnancy tests in relief for the past hour. The thought of being pregnant now had freaked her out so bad when Veronica suggested it. Even though she wasn't pregnant, she couldn't keep reassuring herself. Both tests had clear minus signs indicating she was not pregnant. Thank God!

There was a knock on her door, and it was pushed open before she could respond. Eli stood there. Jazmin tried to hide the pregnancy tests before he saw them, but he was a trained investigator and his eyes zeroed in on them. They widened in shock. "You're pregnant?" he asked.

Jazmin quickly pulled them up so he could see them. "No, I'm not! They're false!" she assured him. The minus sign was plain to see.

Eli sat down on the bed, his mind having trouble processing everything. This was why she was acting so weird! She thought she was pregnant and was freaking out. She lost her first baby, so naturally a pregnancy would terrify her. He grabbed her hand. "You know, Princess, if you got pregnant, it would _not_ be a tragedy! I know nineteen is kind of young, but not that young. At twenty-one, I'm older than my dad was when he had me, so I'm bound to do better than him!" Eli said, smiling.

Jazmin hated herself. She couldn't tell him the truth and here he was once again doing everything he could to make her feel better. "You'd be a wonderful dad!" she exclaimed. "But pregnancy does terrify me. I didn't really think I was pregnant, but when I told Veronica I didn't have any energy this week, she teased me about being pregnant." At least that part was true.

Eli laughed. "V's so excited about the baby that she'd be over the moon if one of her friends got pregnant with her," he said.

"Well, I didn't think it was funny and went out and bought two tests!" she said. "It's not that I wouldn't want to someday have your baby, but I think it's too soon."

He moved and put his arm around her. "I know what you mean. I'm sorry you were so scared. I wish you would've told me. I don't like you going through this kind of thing by yourself," Eli said.

She let herself lean on him, seeking his strength. "I'm sorry. I feel stupid now," she told him.

"Well, I hope you'll relax and rest better now that you're not worrying about this," Eli said. "I stopped by to see if you'd changed your mind about going away with me? I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon."

"I really can't. I'm sorry," Jazmin said.

"I don't want you spending all weekend in your room. You've barely left your house in a week," Eli pointed out.

"Don't worry. Veronica invited me to hang out at her place tomorrow night, so I'll be fine!" Jazmin informed him, glad she had something that would reassure him.

Eli was happy to hear that. "That's great! Have fun and work hard Saturday. I'll try to be back Saturday night. Since you're not going with me, there's no reason to drag it out!" he said.

"I'm sorry. Next time. I promise," she told him.

"I'll come over Sunday to see you," Eli said.

"Okay," she said.

Eli gave her a light kiss. "I love you. I'll see you in a few days," he said.

"Call me," she told him.

"I will," he said, smiling and getting up.

"I'll miss you," she said honestly. She didn't like that he was going to be so far away for almost two days.

"I'll miss you, too," he said. He leaned down and kissed her again.

"I love you," she said as he turned to leave. He smiled and left.

Jazmin realized that her pregnancy scare had served one purpose at least. Now Eli would chalk up her odd behavior the past week to this. She'd have time to get over what happened. Somehow. If she could only get some sleep. Tomorrow, she'd go to the doctor and see about getting some sleeping pills. Something to keep her from being so jumpy. Maybe she should see a counselor. She needed to talk to someone. Although she'd never had a lot of confidants, she's always had Jason. Not being able to share what she was going through was eating away at her. She couldn't go on like this much longer. She brushed away the tears that she hadn't even realized were flowing. Maybe she should just call her dad. Let him take care of David. The more miserable she felt, the more she wanted David to suffer the way she was suffering. Only the fear of her dad making her leave Neptune held back her hand from calling him. Eli couldn't leave yet. His family needed him too much, and she knew how important family was. He didn't have the money to travel back and forth from Chicago. And after what David did, Jazmin knew her father wouldn't let her out of his sight. She didn't want to lose him, but how could she keep lying to him?

She curled up in a ball on her bed. Never had she wanted to escape her life so much.

******_Friday Evening******_

Veronica was trying to work up enthusiasm for her evening with her friends, but Trina taking Richie out of town was really bumming her out.

Logan knew she was upset and sat down next to her on the couch. "Hey, he's going to be just fine. Sunday will be here before you know it," Logan said. He put his arm around her.

"I know," she said in a too quiet voice.

"You know Trina will take good care of him," Logan added.

"Yeah," Veronica said listlessly.

Logan grew concerned and put his hand on her cheek so she would look up at him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I love him too much," Veronica whispered, a flash of guilt in her eyes.

Logan frowned. "What do you mean too much? You can't love someone too much, especially not a baby," he said.

Veronica looked up. "I wish he was ours, Logan. I wish it so badly. Isn't that awful? What's wrong with me?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Logan pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair. "You're not awful. He's our family. There's nothing wrong with you," Logan said.

Veronica pulled away and faced him. "Yes, there is! I hate that Trina _can_ take him! I've never truly been jealous of another person. Not really. But I'm jealous of her. I know we're going to have our own baby next spring, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to be with Richie. It's _not_ normal to be this envious of someone else's baby! I've turned into a crazy woman!" she exclaimed.

Her rant was interrupted by the door bell ringing. "Don't you talk smack about the woman I love!" Logan said with a grin. He got up to go toward the door. "Richie will always be in our lives, so you don't need to worry. Everything's going to be okay." He opened the front door and welcomed Daisy and Jason.

Veronica sighed. This hormonal craziness was making her really nuts. She pushed her morose thoughts out of her mind and greeted her guests.

Thirty minutes later everyone had arrived. Dick and Mac had showed up with the food. Veronica felt herself finally relax as she looked around at her friends. Jazmin was actually being polite to Daisy. Thea had agreed to join them, so Veronica could get to know Wallace's new crush. She smiled as Thea seemed to freeze up when Jason spoke to her. She watched their awkward conversation a few minutes. Then Veronica went up and tapped Thea on the shoulders. "Hey, thanks for coming," Veronica said to her.

Thea turned to her in relief. "Thanks for inviting me. It was a good excuse to bail on the Friday mixer at the house!" she said.

"Won't you get kicked out for not attending?" Veronica asked with a mischievous grin.

"I wish!" Thea exclaimed, smiling.

"So I know we don't know each other very well, but I couldn't help but notice that you were having trouble talking when Jason was asking you a question," Veronica observed, a twinkle in her eye.

Thea flushed in embarrassment. "Guys that good looking always intimidate me. If he was just another dumb frat boy, I could deal, but I happen to know he's not," she admitted.

Veronica laughed. "That's so cute! Did you have like a crush on him when you were kids? I would've!" she said. "He's very dreamy!"

"Every girl did," Thea said dryly. "Of course, I had to beat him in every subject, so he wouldn't know I liked him."

Veronica loved that. "That's exactly what I would've done!" she said.

They looked over at Jason and Daisy flirting. Jazmin was listening to them but not actively participating. "Daisy is exactly the kind of girl I would've figured Jason would end up with," Thea observed. "Bold, sassy, and sexy."

She didn't seem bothered by that fact or even jealous. Her lack of cattiness was refreshing. "She is definitely all three of those," Veronica said fondly. "I hated her when I first met her, but she won me over. She doesn't always make a good first impression."

"I love girls like her. They're always entertaining. Fearless. My mom is like her. Always the life of every party," Thea shared. "As you can see, I'm nothing like my mother!" She gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"I'm not like my mother either. Thank God! A Daddy's girl all the way!" Veronica said.

"I'm close to both my parents, but I always idolized my dad, so I know what you mean," she said.

"Is it just me or does Jazmin seem detached lately?" Veronica asked, noticing her lack of engagement. "I invited her here hoping she'd have a good time, but she doesn't seem like she wants to be here."

Thea had noticed Jazmin's unusual reticence. "Maybe she's just distracted. Or missing her boyfriend. She told me Eli went out of town," Thea said.

"Yeah," Veronica said, not convinced.

"Okay everyone, I got my two favorite games," Dick announced. "First, we're going to play Twister and everyone has to participate. Even you Ronnie!"

Veronica groaned. "I'm knocked up!" she offered up.

"So? You're still bendy!" Dick replied with a leer.

"I know she is," Logan said smirking at her.

She threw a couch pillow at him. He caught it and laughed.

"Then we can play Outburst!" Dick said enthusiastically.

"That's a fun game," Thea said. "My sisters always bring that game out. It's like Balderdash."

"I'm on her team," Dick said, grinning. Everyone laughed.

Jazmin really and truly could not face playing a game that involved so much intimate touching. A feeling of panic came over her. "Why don't we start with Outburst since we just ate and play Twister later?" she suggested.

"I second that!" Veronica said, giving her a pleased smile.

"Fine, but we're _so_ playing it!" Dick vowed.

Jazmin let out a relieved breath. She knew she could make an escape before the next game.

Thea had noticed the anxiety in Jazmin and frowned in puzzlement. Something _was_ off with her. Veronica was right. Jazmin was only speaking when someone spoke to her. Jazmin wasn't overly vivacious most days. However, she was friendly and outgoing whenever she was around friends or family. She had that cool confidence that her brother had but was more naturally aloof. Thea thought that there was always a part of her she kept back. When they had been kids in school together, Jazmin had been as popular as her brother. However, she was one of those girls that to Thea appeared solitary even when in the midst of a group. Since becoming reacquainted with her the past few weeks, Thea hadn't really seen that. Instead, Jazmin seemed truly content like she'd finally found her place, her people. Now, however, she seemed apart. Something had to be wrong.

Thea leaned over and whispered to Veronica, "I think you're right about Jazmin. Something is definitely off with her."

Veronica looked as Jazmin remained unaffected by Dick and Daisy's loud argument over who was on what team. She frowned. "I'll talk to Weevil when he gets back. I already tried talking to her, and I didn't get very far," Veronica said with a frown.

"Well, she could just be having a bad week. It happens," Thea said.

"True," Veronica said. Jazmin finally smiled at Mac, so Veronica relaxed a bit. Maybe Jazmin was just not feeling well and missing Weevil. Maybe she was being paranoid.

Across the room, Jazmin could feel the watchful gaze of Veronica Mars on her. She glanced over at her and Thea, who both were watching Jazmin. Jazmin smiled at them. Inside, she was chastising herself. Thea was the smartest person Jazmin knew, and she knew a lot of smart people-Veronica being one of them. The two women were talking and looking intently at her. Jazmin instinctively knew they were talking about her, which was could not possibly be good. She had to do a better job of pretending to care about what was going on around her. The last thing she needed was Veronica or Thea asking too many questions. She turned and made herself start a friendly conversation with her brother and Daisy. Maybe if she kept pretending to be okay, she really would be. Surely, she'd start feeling better soon. If not, she was going to have to do something because no one could know. Jazmin knew that it was up to her to make sure her secret stayed a secret. She had to find a way to forget about what happened and move past it. She just wasn't sure how. Determined, she put it out of her mind and focused on her friends.

*******_More to Come*******_

_Reviews and comments are welcome as long as they aren't about how Jazmin should tell someone already. I believe in realism. Do your own research. Most rape victims tell no one and don't report the crime. However, the truth will EVENTUALLY come out, especially since Jazmin's friends are too clever and observant._

_The next three chapters will cover Lauren's sweet sixteen costume party and a few other scenes. Not everyone will be at the party. I will post soon. The chapters are coming along pretty well!_


	11. Chapter 11

**I'd like to thank DevilJolie for loaning me her home town of Happy Valley, Oregon and helping me craft a probable location for Leanne Mars. I wanted her on the west coast, but since I have only been to L. A. once, I had no real idea. Portland seemed logical. For those that are always suspicious, I really don't have any nefarious plans for Leanne. I just simply think what Logan has said. She will need her momma. And it seemed to me they were very close until her dad lost his job. So many other things have healed with Veronica. I think her relationship with her mom should be another ghost to tackle.**

**The birthday party for Lauren Sinclair will go on through three chapters because I have a few other storylines to include in the midst of the fun. Everyone isn't at the party. This chapter is a bit on the short side! Sorry! Maggi Esk-prepare yourself: Piz IS in this chapter! LOL! **

**I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!**

Chapter 11: Sweet Sixteen

_*****Saturday Morning in Happy Valley, Oregon*****_

Eli was sitting in a rented car across from the apartment building Leanne Mars was supposed to be living in. This was the address her phone records had. Happy Valley was outside of Portland. Eli thought that it seemed like a nice place if you liked yuppie-ville. The apartment complex was on a quiet street. Nico had told Eli that the lease was not under her name. However, they had looked into her connections to the woman whose apartment she was staying in. Her name was Mary Beth Gibson. They had gone to school together at Neptune High. Mary Beth's former husband was from the Portland area. She had stayed there after their divorce. She had a young son. Eli speculated that the women must have been good friends if she was letting Leanne stay indefinitely with her. He was watching the apartment building hoping to catch a glimpse of Veronica's mom.

Yesterday evening he had went to the restaurant Leanne was waiting tables at. He bribed the bus boy when he was taking out the trash and discovered that Leanne had been working there for the past six months. She was known as dependable and well liked. There was no rumor of her drinking. Eli was glad that things were looking good for V's mom. He hoped Logan was right and that Veronica would want her mom back in her life. It would be easier if her mother was clean, and so far it appeared that she was.

Eli knew that Leanne had a 9am shift, so he was staking out her place hoping to get an opportunity to photograph her. Finally, she came out. He raised his camera and took several shots of her. Her hair was cut in a short, efficient bob. She got into a Ford Focus and pulled out. Eli followed her as she drove straight to work. He parked the car and debated on whether or not he should go in. He knew Logan would want specifics on her. It was a point of pride that he do this job particularly well. Leanne Mars had never met Eli. He had not become friends with her daughter until after she had left the first time, and when Leanne came back their junior year, she didn't stay long. Eli made a decision. He grabbed a baseball cap that he'd brought. He had on a long sleeve shirt so that all his tats were covered. Opening up his car door, he decided to go ahead and have some breakfast and observe the former Mrs. Mars up close.

*****_Later that Evening*****_

Jason had decided to take an opportunity to get to know his new roommate. He had suggested they have a dinner and invite their prospective ladies. It would be nice if he could double date with his sister and Eli. However, he didn't feel Jazmin was ready for that. It was good that his sister was thawing out. Last night she had even initiated friendly conversation with Daisy. Although Jason could tell she wasn't yet at ease with Daisy, he was happy that his sister was making an effort. It was important that the two women in his life got along. Jazmin was often too much inside her own head. Daisy could be really good for his sister. She knew how to have fun and live in the moment. Jazmin could be too serious sometimes. The solitary nature of their childhood had left her with many inhibitions when it came to letting people in. It had been amazing that she had let Veronica and Mac get so close to her so fast. Jason was really grateful for that. The summer in Italy had included Parker and had produced another good friend for his sister. Jason couldn't help but wish she had friends like this in Chicago because no matter how much they enjoyed Neptune, Chicago was their home. His sister would live out her days in the windy city just like Jason. If she stayed with Eli like he hoped, then at least they'd both have one person in the city they could count on.

Piz came into the kitchen. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"You could set the table if you want," Jason suggested.

"This is really nice of you, man," Piz said. "The lasagna smells great."

"It's my grandmother's recipe. It's pretty amazing if it comes out right. I'm putting the garlic bread in next," Jason said.

"I can make a salad," Piz offered. He had been in Jason's house a week, and they hadn't had much interaction. The guy was always on the go. So far Piz found him to be somewhat of an enigma. Discovering that he was so comfortable in the kitchen was unexpected. It didn't really fit his first impressions of the man.

"That'd be great. Thanks!" Jason said.

They worked in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Jason asked, "So how's things going with you and Parker since you've been back?"

"Pretty good. It's not exactly the same, but I guess I couldn't really expect it to be," Piz said.

"But you sort of did though, right?" Jason asked. "I probably would if I was in your shoes."

"Yeah, I guess I kind of did. Mac asked her to go to her sister's birthday party tonight, but I don't think she wanted to run into Duncan," Piz shared.

Jason nodded knowingly. "Yeah, Daisy went out with a guy I hated recently. It drove me nuts. She, of course, did it just to make me jealous!" he admitted with a rueful grin.

"You and Daisy seem pretty tight now," Piz said.

"Well, it's been great so far, but she's unpredictable. We got together months ago but it was just a fling. I kind of took her for granted, and she punished me a long time. She loves making me crazy!" Jason shared, grinning. "We're just now in a good place."

"I hope you stay that way. I always liked Daisy," Piz said.

"Wallace definitely wasn't the guy for Daisy," Jason said fondly. "Wallace is too normal. Too nice. Daisy is kind of a man-eater."

"You must like being eaten then," Piz observed with a laugh. He found it amusing that the quality that turned most men off from Daisy was a quality Jason enjoyed.

"There's worse ways to go!" Jason said with a satisfied smirk. The doorbell rang. "I'll get it."

Piz finished the salad as Parker was led into the kitchen. "Hey!" she said, giving him a sunny smile. He took a risk and gave her a light kiss. She put her arms around his neck. "I missed you last night," she said.

"Sorry, I didn't go with you and Wallace to the game, but I promised my old band mates I'd hang with them last night," Piz said.

"Did you have fun?" she asked.

"Yes, it was great," Piz said.

"Is there anything left to do?" Parker asked.

"I told Jason I'd set the table," Piz said.

"I'll help," Parker said. She went to the cabinet and gathered the dishes. The doorbell rang.

Jason welcomed Daisy in with a warm smile. "Hey, you!" he said. He pulled her in and against his chest, wasting no time in fusing their mouths together. He couldn't help kissing her hungrily; the woman had that effect on him. Finally, needing air, he broke off the kiss.

"If you hadn't decided to be so social, I could take off all my clothes right now and let you do _anything_ you want," Daisy said provocatively.

Jason groaned and hugged her tightly. "Don't tease me, you cruel woman!" he said.

Daisy gave a throaty chuckle. "You were the one who kissed me like that!" Daisy reminded him. She pulled back and unbuttoned another button on her silk top, showing more than a glimpse of her cleavage. She loved tormenting him!

Jason's eyes narrowed on the sight. He reached down to touch her breasts, and she slapped his hand. "None of that! You have a dinner to host, and I'm hungry!" she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She walked away with a swing of her hips. Jason didn't know which side of her he liked better, the front or the back.

******_The Sinclairs_******

Logan, Veronica, and Dick got out Logan's SUV. Dick didn't get far before he was suddenly jerked back. "What the hell?" he asked in surprise as Veronica burst out laughing. His lion's tail had gotten stuck in the car door.

"Dick, watch your tail!" Veronica said. She snickered at how funny they all looked.

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Logan complained, pulling at the foil collar he wore. Mac kept her promise and didn't make him wear tin; however, he still felt ridiculous. Veronica insisted that he cover his face and neck with silver face paint.

"Well, I'm wishing now I was the tin man. This straw stuff is itchy!" Veronica complained.

"I think you look adorable!" Logan said. He bent down to kiss her.

"Don't, Logan! You'll mess up your face paint," Veronica warned, pushing him away.

"You so had better make this worth it!" Logan said as they walked up the path to the Sinclairs'.

"I will. I promise," Veronica said with a grin.

Mac opened the door in full witch costume. Her face and neck were painted green, and she wore a latex nose that made her look very much like the Wicked Witch. "There's my pretty boy!" she said in her witch voice. When Dick's mouth fell open in dismay, she cackled.

Dick visibly shuddered. "Oh my God, Mackie, you look hideous!" Dick exclaimed.

"That's the idea!" Mac said with a satisfied grin. "How about you bend down and give me a kiss!" She grinned wickedly when he took a step backward.

Veronica and Logan laughed at them. The made it through the door when Duncan and Lily arrived. They barely got to greet Lily when Dick yelled, "Lily, come rescue me from the wicked witch!"

Lily giggled and ran to Dick who took her hand and fled from Mac.

Logan was snickering at Duncan who was dressed like a dog. He had ears, a tail, and a painted nose and whiskers. "Dude, who did your make-up?" Logan asked his friend.

"Lily. She assured me I looked very dog like! I'm supposed to be Toto," Duncan said loftily. "I look better than you!"

"Well, that's not saying much! I look ridiculous. I'm still not sure why I'm here," Logan said.

"Because costume parties are fun," Veronica said. "I'm going to go find the gift table and put our gift on it." She walked off with a wave to Duncan who had barely acknowledged her.

"This had better stop," Logan said in annoyance to Duncan after she left.

"What?" Duncan said, playing dumb.

"You know what. Being rude to Veronica because you are upset over Parker. It's not her fault, and I am sick to death of hearing about it and you! Not to mention your insanity to agree to be Madison's date tonight! I'm tired of hearing about your damn love life!" Logan complained.

"Hey, sorry, dude! It's been a rough week for me. I know I've been an ass. Sorry to disrupt your love life!" Duncan said grinning.

"You better clear the air!" Logan said with a glare.

"I will. I promise!" Duncan said holding up his paws in surrender.

"And you look even more ridiculous that I do!" Logan said, stomping off.

Duncan chuckled. Madison finally noticed his arrival and came toward him. Duncan mentally groaned. What had he been thinking?

*****_A Short Time Later*****_

Wallace and Thea were the last of their friends to arrive. Veronica grinned in surprise when she caught their outfits or rather Wallace's. Thea was predictably dressed as a doctor with a white doctor's coat and a stethoscope around her neck. Wallace, too, had a stethoscope around his neck. However, he had on a sexy nurse's uniform-one typically worn by a female.

Dick and Logan let out cat calls and whistles when they spotted Wallace. He proudly strutted his stuff. Lily put her hand on her hip and gave him a disapproving look. "Wally, _you_ are a boy! You're not 'pose to wear a dress!" she scalded.

"I tried to tell him that, but he wouldn't listen," Thea said.

Wallace bent down and kissed Lily. "You look beautiful! I wanted to look beautiful, too!" he said.

"Boys can't be bootiful. Only girls!" Lily said. "You look handsome!"

Thea laughed. Wallace grinned at both girls. "Lily, do you remember my friend Thea?" he asked.

"The goddess?" Lily asked.

"Yes, she is!" Wallace agreed.

"Well, you're lucky she deems to spend time with you looking so pathetic!" Logan said. "Did your momma see you dressed like this? Surely, we would've heard the screams of horror!"

"You're one to talk," Wallace said, gesturing to his own tin man get up.

"Your sister is a mean woman," Logan complained.

Veronica elbowed him. "I'm dressed in straw so quit complaining!" she insisted.

Lauren came and greeted them. She giggled at Wallace's outfit. "That is way cool!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks for letting us crash your party," Wallace said.

"Happy birthday!" Thea added, handing her a small wrapped box.

"Thanks! The more, the merrier! Come outside. The dancing is about to start," Lauren said eagerly.

They all went outside and saw an outdoor platform raised a few feet above the ground with a band on it. "It's the same band that was at my last party. They're so great!" Lauren said enthusiastically.

"Well, Dorothy, may I have the honor of dancing with the birthday girl?" Dick asked gallantly.

"Why of course, sir lion!" Lauren said with a giggle.

As they started the dancing, Wallace turned to Thea, "So how about it? Up for a dance?" Wallace asked with a grin.

Thea smiled. "Sure," she said. The music was slow, and she let him pull her into his arms. For the first time as she looked into his eyes, she became aware of the fact that he was a very attractive guy. A sudden awareness sprung up between them. The ease she normally had with him dissipated and she stumbled.

"Careful," Wallace said, and he pulled her closer against him. He smiled down at her. She was just slightly shorter than him, and she didn't like wearing heels.

"I'm glad you came with me tonight," he said to her.

"Ah, me, too," she managed to spit out. She looked up at him in slight surprise. The way he was looking at her made her heart speed up. She looked over at Veronica and Logan dancing nearby. Logan was smiling down at Veronica, his eyes full of love and admiration. She looked back at Wallace who was giving her a warm, admiring look of his own. Suddenly, she realized that this wasn't just two friends going to a party together. This was a date. She stumbled again.

"Wallace's date seems to have two left feet," Logan observed as Thea stumbled in Wallace's arm.

Veronica looked over. "She looks nervous," Veronica said.

"Yes, she does," Logan agreed. "Maybe she's not used to slow dancing."

"Maybe she finally realizes Wallace likes her," Veronica said with a happy grin.

"So how long do we have to be here?" Logan asked.

"Until I succeed in ruining Madison's night!" Veronica said saucily.

Logan laughed. "Well, she seems to be enjoying herself," he said pointing.

Veronica looked and saw Duncan and Madison dancing. She made gagging noises. "I think I'm going to be sick!" she said dramatically.

Logan rolled her eyes. "Don't be so predictable," he admonished.

She pouted up at him. "I can't believe you said that!" she exclaimed.

He bent down and lightly bit her protruding lip. "You look delicious even covered in straw!" he said with a low growl.

"Your paint, Logan!" Veronica warned.

"I don't care!" Logan said smugly. He kissed her ruthlessly. When he broke off the kiss, she was breathing heavily. He grinned in satisfaction and then purposely rubbed his face against her cheek.

"Logan!" she yelled in frustration

He laughed and dipped her. Then he pulled her back up. "I always did think the scarecrow had a thing for the cowardly lion!" he declared.

Veronica couldn't stay annoyed and laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion. "I hope our child does _not_ inherit your sense of humor!" she informed him.

"What? You love my sense of humor!" Logan insisted.

"Yes, and we know how crazy I am!" she replied.

Logan spinned her out and then back into his arms. "I prefer the term _special_!" Logan said with a smirk. When she laughed, he marveled at how attractive he found her even covered in overalls and a straw hat. Yep, it was official. He was totally whipped!

*****_More to Come_*****

_I know this didn't go far into the evening but there will be three more chapters covering the event. I'm trying to post every five days, so you won't have to wait long! Show me some love with a review!_


	12. Chapter 12

**For your reading pleasure...**

Chapter 12: Fun and Games

_******Where We Left off******_

The dancing continued without interruption for at least an hour. After Dick had his first dance with the birthday girl, Lauren danced the second dance with Mac's brother Ryan.

"Oh, check it out, babe," Dick said to Mac who was now dancing with him. "Your bro is dancing with your sis. In most states that would be considered illegal!"

"They're not related!" Mac reminded them. "Besides, it's just a dance and they're friends."

"That's how we started," Dick replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "I befriended you. Then I seduced you!" He bent down and kissed her neck with a loud smack.

"You didn't seduce me. You made me fall in love with you, remember? The seducing took _months_!" she said with a smirk. She loved to tease him about how afraid of sex with her he had been. It was still hard to believe.

"Dickie, it's my turn!" Lily said as she suddenly appeared at his knees. She pushed against Mac's legs. "Dick promised me that he'd dance wif _me_!"

Mac stepped back and bent down to her eye level. "Sweetie, you don't have to be so pushy. I don't mind if you dance with Dick. However, it's polite to wait until the dance is over. Then approach. You can wait your turn," she informed Lily.

Then Mac rose up and put her arms back around Dick's neck. He looked very surprised. "I can't believe you were so cruel to my girl!" he announced with a frown. He glanced at Lily to see if she'd start to cry.

"I wasn't cruel, Dick. She's spoiled and used to always getting her way. I do _not_ want her to grow up to be her namesake. I want her to be like her mother," Mac said unapologetically. "We can love her and spoil her some, but we will also encourage good manners. It's bad enough I have to put up with Madison. I don't want Lily growing up acting so entitled."

Dick gave her a thoughtful look. Then he smiled. "You're tough! That's so hot!" he declared. "Our kids are going to be totally awesome! 'Cause you know I'd never be able to say no to our little girl about anything!"

Mac stopped dancing and looked at him in surprise. "Planning our family already?" she asked.

"Well, not specifically. But you know. Someday. Like we said," he said with a grin.

Mac smiled. "I'm not ready to share you with any kids yet, so it'll be awhile!" she replied. The music stopped. They both turned to look at Lily who was waiting patiently for her turn.

"Thank you, sweetie, for waiting so politely," Mac told her. She bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Is it my turn now?" she asked Dick eagerly.

"Yep! I'm all yours, my sweet Lily-pad!" Dick announced. He bent down and picked her up and started dancing with her all of the place, making her giggle as he twirled her around.

Duncan was sipping a drink and watching his daughter with Dick. He loved to watch her have so much fun. Veronica approached him. He eyed her warily. "Hey," he said.

"Hi. Can we talk?" Veronica asked.

He nodded and they moved inside the house away from the music.

"I really hate that you're so upset with me!" Veronica complained.

Duncan sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I've been a real ass," he admitted.

"Yes, you have. You were really mean!" Veronica said. "And you agreed to be Madison Sinclair's date! I hate her above all people, and you know it!"

Duncan gave her a half smile. "Well, I wasn't trying to hurt you by coming to this party. Not everything is about you, Ronnie!" he said.

"Of course, it is!" she declared with a haughty look. Then she laughed. "Okay, so maybe not. But it feels like it was a jab at me. Her smug looks tonight have made me want to get out my tazer."

"You brought your tazer?" Duncan asked in surprise. He looked at her scarecrow costume trying to figure out where she hid it.

"No, of course not! I just _wish_ I had it!" Veronica declared with a saucy grin.

Duncan laughed. He moved and sat down in a nearby chair, placing his drink on the table next to it. Veronica sat down next to him.

"I really didn't mean to hurt you. I just thought Parker should be the one to talk to you. I know if the situation was reversed, I'd be really hurt if I heard from you or Dick before Logan talked to me," Veronica said.

"You're right. But I probably would've been hurt either way," Duncan admitted with a sad face. "I really thought she was the one. She is so perfect for me."

"You know, Duncan, if you really believe that, you shouldn't give up on her," Veronica advised. "Logan never gave up on me and look at us now."

Duncan looked thoughtful. "Well, you and Logan were at least lovers. Parker and I hadn't even made it to that stage. I was probably being foolish. It was too soon to be so attached. Obviously, she wasn't feeling what I was feeling," he said with a sigh.

"I'm not so sure about that," Veronica said. "I had lunch with her the other day to feel her out. She's pretty upset. She didn't want to give you false hope or hurt you further, but she didn't seem to be completely okay with not seeing you anymore either."

"Really?" Duncan said hopefully.

Veronica nodded. "She feels guilty for the Vegas kiss and blames her break-up with Piz on that. So maybe there's more to her reconciliation than what she said," Veronica said.

"What should I do then?" Duncan asked.

"I think you should _not_ date Madison for one thing. For another, give it some time. See what way the wind blows," Veronica suggested.

Duncan grinned. He got up and took her hand and pulled her in for a hug. "I really love you, Ronnie!" he said. "I know I don't deserve you, but I'm grateful for you. I'm sorry for hurting you."

"Just remember, I am Parker's friend, but I still shared things with you that I probably shouldn't have. So don't think you always come last," Veronica said.

Duncan kissed her cheek.

"What's this? I go away from five minutes and you're horning in on my woman!" Logan exclaimed as he suddenly appeared. His outraged expression looked a bit ridiculous with his tin outfit and smeared paint face. However, the twinkle in his eyes belied any real anger.

"Sorry, Logan, but Veronica has decided a tin man just doesn't do it for her!" Duncan said airily. He kept his arm around her shoulder.

Veronica giggled. "Duncan's got a point. You do look pretty silly!" she told him.

"And whose fault is that?" Logan said with a disgruntled look.

"I'm sorry, sweetie!" Veronica said apologetically. "It's Lauren's birthday, and it's what she wanted."

"Not good enough," Logan said with a pout. He glared at Duncan. "You better keep your paws to yourself, you ole' dog!" He stomped off. He wasn't really mad, but he loved the dramatics of it all. His parents both had been actors after all.

Duncan snickered. "Better go placate your tin man!" he advised.

She gave him a squeeze. "I'll catch you later!" she said with a wave and trailed after Logan.

Madison had been close by observing the scene. She wasn't close enough to overhear, but it seemed like Logan was upset at the closeness between Duncan and Veronica. She walked over to Duncan. "Veronica Mars just doesn't know when to quit, does she?" she said.

"What do you mean?" Duncan asked.

"Well, she's pregnant with Logan's baby and is stringing you along _still_!" Madison said with an eye roll.

Duncan's eyes narrowed. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly.

"I know what I just saw!" she said. "Veronica will never be satisfied unless she has you always dancing to her tune while Logan watches from the sidelines ready to swoop in and save her."

"Veronica and Logan are my best friends. My daughter's godparents. In some way or another, I will always be dancing her tune as you so eloquently put it, Madison. They are my family, so don't talk about what you know nothing about," Duncan said in annoyance.

Madison realized she had miscalculated and tried to recover. She put her hand on his arm and gave him a flirty smile. "I'm sorry. I just hate for anyone to take advantage of a great guy like you!" she said.

Duncan realized he'd made a huge mistake when he agreed to come to this party as Madison's date. "Look, Madison, this was a mistake. I shouldn't have come here as your date. You and I can't be more than friends. That's all we've ever been and that's all we ever will be," he informed.

"Duncan!" she started to protest, but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry, but I mean it. Thanks for letting me and Lily crash your party. She's having a lot of fun, and I appreciate it. But this can't happen again," Duncan said. Then he turned and walked off.

Madison's mouth fell open in dismay as she watched Duncan walk off. He just blew her off like she was nothing. She closed her mouth and crossed her arms. She was so angry that she wanted to stomp her feet. However, she'd outgrown that childish habit. But she still wanted to scream. _Damn that Veronica Mars! This is her fault! _Madison wished for once things would go her way and not Veronica's. She headed to the bar. She so needed a drink!

******_At the Java Hut_******

Jazmin decided that she needed a change of scenery and loaded her laptop in her shoulder bag and walked to the Hut. She hadn't been lying when she told Eli that she had work to get done. Parker was having dinner with Piz at Jason's, and Mac was at the costume party for her sister. Of course, she had asked Jazmin to go. However, Jazmin not only didn't want to have to fake another night of revelry, but she needed to get some work done. She hoped that Eli would be home sometime tonight and would be by to see her in the morning. If she didn't get some work done before he returned, he may feel like she just didn't want to be with him when she'd turned down his invitation for the weekend.

Jazmin was anxious enough about things with Eli. She didn't need any more obstacles or upsetting him over nothing, so she wanted to get her work done before tomorrow. Seeing him was both comforting and nerve-racking. He made her feel safe, but she also felt guilty for not telling him what she was going through. She loved him, but the thought of having sex again-even with him-turned her stomach. She put her bag down on a corner table and ordered a cappuccino from the server and a turkey wrap. Not focusing on her life for a few hours would be good for her.

An hour passed peacefully. She finished her dinner and had begun to make some head way. Some loud laughter disturbed her peace, and she looked up. Several football players had come in and were waiting to be seated. Jazmin's entire body froze when she spotted David amongst the group of guys. This had been the first time she'd seen him in the eight days since his attack. Horror filled her as she realized that she couldn't even escape the place without him spotting her.

David was laughing with some friends when he spotted the delicious Jazmin Jaleno sitting at a table with her computer. "Hey, isn't that the girl you have the hots for?" one of his friends asked with a whistle.

David smiled in anticipation and took a step toward her. However, when she spotted him, the terror on her face was obvious, and she began gathering up her stuff. He eyed her warily and stopped his approach. A friend slapped him on the back. "I don't think she's happy to see you, big guy!" his friend said. They laughed. David frowned in displeasure. He walked toward her. She got up and threw some money on the table and grabbed her bag. She tried to walk by him without looking at him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her.

She yelled, "Don't touch me!" Embarrassed, he quickly let her arm go. She leaned closer and said in a lower voice. "If you touch me ever again, I swear to God, I'll kill you!" Not waiting for his response, she brushed passed him and exited the restaurant.

"Man, Dave, I don't think she's going to go out with you again!" one of the guys said. They snickered and teased him good-naturedly.

David gave his friends a sheepish smile and shrugged carelessly. They turned to follow the hostess who was ready to seat them. No one saw the banked rage in his eyes.

Jazmin raced home, shaken and scared. She locked the front door behind her and couldn't resist peeking through the curtains to see if he followed her. After a few minutes, she went upstairs to her room and called Eli. She just needed to hear his voice.

"Hey, Princess! How's it going?" Eli said when he answered the call.

"Okay. I just miss you and wanted to hear your voice," she said, sitting down on her bed.

"I miss you, too," he said. "I am currently heading to the airport. I should be back home later tonight."

Jazmin was relieved that he was heading back home and had to resist the urge to ask him to stop by. Her neediness will make him suspicious again. He'd been convinced her pregnancy scare was why she'd been acting so strange. If she didn't learn to calm down, he'd know for sure something was wrong. "That's great! I just got back from the Hut. I took my laptop there and got some work done. Parker and Piz are double dating with my brother and Daisy," she shared.

"I hope that's something you and I can do some time. I know your brother would like that," Eli said meaningfully.

"Yeah, I know. I'm working on it," she said. "You'll be happy to know that I was very nice to her last night at Veronica's."

"Good. I'm glad you had fun," he said, relieved that she was both making an effort with Daisy and had got out of the house.

"When do you think you'll be by tomorrow?" she asked.

"I got to meet with a client for lunch and give him the report on this trip, and then I'm all yours," he said.

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow. Be safe," she said.

"I will. Good night. I love you," Eli said.

"I love you, too," she said. She hung up and looked down at the phone, not really seeing it. Instead, she saw the arrogant expression on David's face. Oh, how she hated the sight of him! A part of her wanted very much to wipe that smug expression off of his face. One call to her dad would make sure that happened very soon. But she wasn't prepared to do that. However, she didn't like not feeling safe in her own home. She was going to have to do something. She couldn't go on like this.

******_Back at the Sinclairs'_******

Wallace watched Logan dance with Thea. Veronica came up to him. "How's it going, bro?" she asked with a pleased grin.

"Pretty great. Look at Thea with Logan. She looks so cute!" Wallace exclaimed with a smile.

Veronica looked at the dance floor. Thea looked very uncomfortable dancing with Logan. Veronica felt a bit pleased that her man was hot enough to make Thea nervous. "She's a bit shy around hot guys," Veronica observed.

"Hey, I'm hot! She's not shy around me!" Wallace protested.

"You are approachable in your hotness," Veronica said tactfully. "And besides I'm not sure Thea's even noticed you're a guy."

When Wallace looked offended at her comment, Veronica laughed. "Relax, Papa Bear! I think she started to notice during your dance earlier. She gets awkward when she notices the opposite sex," Veronica shared.

"Really?" Wallace asked in surprise.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Do guys not notice anything at all?" she asked.

"We notice the important things!" Wallace protested.

The song ended and Logan and Thea made their way to them. "Is it my turn again?" Veronica asked eagerly.

"I suppose," Logan said with a dramatic sigh. "If I must!"

"You must!" Veronica said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the dance floor.

"Why do I get the feeling that he doesn't really find dancing with her a hardship?" Thea asked dryly.

"Because he doesn't!" Wallace said with a grin. "Logan loves any excuse to put his arms around her. Haven't you noticed?"

"Well, I feel like the belle of the ball. I got to dance with you, Duncan, Logan, and even Dick asked me to dance," Thea said. "Somehow I feel like it's a conspiracy."

Wallace knew that Veronica had put a bug in their friends' ears about making sure Thea had a good time, so he just smiled and said, "Hey, when you're hot, you're hot!"

Thea laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're funny! Delusional but funny!" she declared.

Wallace realized that Veronica had a point. Thea may have started to get an inkling about his feelings, but she really didn't see how much he liked her. He decided to do something about that. He took her hand and led her inside the house, searching for a quiet, secluded spot.

Thea gave him a questioning look when they slipped inside the library that was vacant. "Is everything alright?" she asked in concern.

"Everything is great. I just wanted to talk to you in a quiet place where we could have some privacy," he replied.

Thea suddenly felt nervous. Wallace was glancing intently at her. "Okay," she said softly.

Wallace reached out and tucked a strand of hair around her ear and smiled down at her. She was the perfect height for him. "I wanted to tell you that I don't want to just be your study buddy anymore," he said.

"You don't?" Thea asked with a frown.

Wallace gave a low chuckle at her cluelessness. "No, Athena. I find you to be a true goddess like your namesake. I want to date you," Wallace said.

Thea's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You do?" she asked.

Instead of answering, Wallace leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. Somehow he knew that would be enough. Then he pulled back and smiled down at her.

She looked a bit dazed and put her hand to her lip. "No guy's ever kissed me before," she admitted.

Now it was Wallace's turn to be surprised. "Seriously?" he asked, a bit freaked out at the implication.

She shook her hand and look shyly up at him. "No. I skipped two grades and was always so awkward in high school. I'm more confident now, but I've been so busy with my studies and the stupid sorority. And I guess no guy has really wanted to kiss me," she shared. She looked down, feeling embarrassed by her confession.

Wallace reached out and put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Hey, don't feel bad about that. The guys you have known were stupid and blind. You're incredible! You're brilliant, selfless, funny, and so adorable. You have the most amazing smile," he said.

When she showed him the smile he so enjoyed seeing, he was unable to resist kissing her again.

Ten minutes later they joined their friends in the main room of the house where the buffet was laid out. Duncan was feeding Lily. Veronica and Logan were filling up a plate of food. Lauren and Ryan were listening to an animated tale from Dick. Mac noticed the new couples' appearance. She saw the hand holding and the amazed look on Thea's face. "Hey, Bond, look up," she said to Veronica. Veronica looked up and Mac pointed at the newly formed couple.

Veronica smiled when she spotted Wallace and Thea. Wallace stopped at the end of the buffet and handed a plate to Thea. He grabbed one for himself. Veronica took her own plate and headed to the happy couple. "Hey, guys. The crab cakes are very good!" she shared.

"You mean you saved us some?" Wallace joked.

"A few," she said with a grin. "Do you have a sec?" She motioned for Wallace to step away from the food.

"What's up?" Wallace asked.

"I don't know. You tell me," Veronica said with a sly grin. "You and Thea look awfully chummy all of a sudden. What happened?"

Wallace grinned. "She agreed to go out with me!" he shared.

"I _knew_ she was a smart lady with incredible taste!" Veronica exclaimed.

"I really like her, Veronica," Wallace said.

"I know you do. She's pretty great," Veronica said.

"But she's really inexperienced," he shared in a near whisper. He looked over at her as she chatted with Mac and Lily. She was really good with kids. He supposed that was because she had so many younger siblings.

"Just be patient with her," Veronica advised.

"You know I kissed her and she admitted that she'd never been kissed before. I'm trying not to freak out because I kind of like that no other guy has ever meant anything to her, but at the same time it's a lot to take in," Wallace admitted in bemusement.

"Duncan was the first boy that ever kissed me. He was sweet and didn't rush me. I suggest you follow his example. And talk to her. If it starts to get serious, let her know what you're feeling. She seems pretty upfront to me. I doubt she'll hide much from you, especially if she already admitted that she'd never been kissed," Veronica said.

Wallace gave her a hug and walked back to his new girlfriend. Veronica was very happy for him. Thea was a real breath of fresh air. She loved seeing Wallace happy. He hadn't been for most of the semester. She joined her friends who were listening to Mac's witch impersonation.

"Cut that out, Mac! It creeps me out!" Dick complained with a visible shudder.

His friends laughed. "What do you mean, Dick? Don't you want to give me a kiss?" Mac said with a gleeful grin.

"Yeah, kiss her! Kiss the witch!" Lily said with a happy clap of her hands.

"Nope! Not until she gets that freaky nose off her face and that green goo! My lips will not work!" Dick insisted. Mac reached for him trying to get a kiss. He jumped back. She let out her witches cackle and he turned and fled. Lily was at their heels eagerly watching the display. Mac chased after Dick with her arms outstretched.

"Looks like Dick's living up to his costume," Logan observed watching them with a chuckle. Veronica took out her cell phone and snapped some pictures at their ridiculous friends. Lauren decided Veronica had the right idea and started snapping pictures, too.

Across the room, Madison was watching the display in growing disgust and anger. This was her house and yet she felt like the stranger. Lauren didn't seem to care if she was there or not, so she finished off her drink and headed to the bar to get a refill. She needed a lot more alcohol in her if she was going to get through this night.

Logan's phone vibrated. Luckily, the stupid pants he had on did have pockets. He reached in and saw that it was Weevil. He stepped away from his friends and answered it.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Weevil said. "I wanted you to know that I'm heading back tonight."

"So soon? Did you find out anything?" Logan asked.

"Yes, I saw V's mom. I took some photos of where she lives and her work. She's waiting tables at a diner in Happy Valley, Oregon," Weevil shared.

"How did she look?" Logan asked.

"She looked good," Weevil said.

"How about you meet me tomorrow and you tell me all about it?" Logan suggested.

"Lunch?" Weevil asked.

"Why don't we meet a bit earlier? Come to Faces around eleven," Logan said.

"No problem. I'll bring the camera," Weevil said. He hung up.

Logan put away his phone. He was glad that things were looking good with Leanne. He was one step closer in reuniting Veronica with her mother. Now he had to decide when to tell Veronica. Should he go see Leanne first? He wouldn't bring her back into Veronica's life unless she was going to step up and be someone Veronica could count on. She had been disappointed enough.

*****_To Be Continued*****_

_I hope the short scene with Jazmin didn't ruin the chapter for you! I appreciate your reviews! Thanks!_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Fun Ends

******_Still Saturday Night******_

Jason poured a half glass of wine and took a sip. The dinner had gone very well. The food turned out perfectly. So far Daisy and Parker seemed to be getting along. They had bonded over a passion for shoes. Piz had begun to thaw when he discovered that Jason did enjoy a few grudge bands and had even seen All American Rejects in concert once. Apparently, the key to Piz's heart was music. Jason's favorite kind of music was blues and jazz, but he didn't bother mentioning that. Finding common ground with his new roommate was important to him. Piz was one of Wallace's closest friends and Wallace was one of Jason's. The always exciting Veronica Mars had dated this guy. Although Jason had trouble picturing it, he did know from Wallace that Logan had been insane with jealousy and had beat Piz to a bloody pulp over a sex video. For some reason Jason doubted that finding out Piz hadn't been behind the video filled Logan with much regret.

He looked over at Daisy, who was laughing at something Parker said. The thought of Daisy being with another man after him made his hand tighten on the wine glass. Never had Jason thought of himself as a jealous man. However, he couldn't blame Logan for wanting to hurt the man that was with the woman he loved. Jason would feel the same way. Suddenly, he looked at Daisy and realized something. He loved her. She made him feel more than anyone ever had. Being with her was like an exciting adventure. One he never wanted to end.

Filled with that realization, he went over to her and took her hand and lifted her to her feet. She looked surprised. "What's up?" she asked.

"I just can't go another minute without doing this," he said as he pulled her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

Piz grinned and looked at Parker who was surprised by the sudden display of passion. "I think he's got the right idea!" Piz moved his chair closer to Parker and kissed her. When he pulled back, she looked at him in bemusement. He hadn't kissed her like that since he'd been back. It wasn't because he didn't want to but because she hadn't really seemed open to that kind of affection yet, and he didn't want to push her. But now she smiled at him.

Jason finally broke off the kiss and grinned down at Daisy. "Although I appreciate your enthusiasm, it's not really the right time for a kiss like that," she admonished with a cheeky grin.

"It's always the right time. In fact, I say we officially end this dinner just so we can do it more in private!" Jason declared with a wicked grin.

Piz laughed. "Fine by me. We can take a hint!" he said getting up from his chair.

"It's kind of rude, Jason," Daisy said with a frown. She hadn't been invited to many dinners that weren't hosted by family members, but she couldn't imagine her mother would think this was proper dinner etiquette.

Parker looked a bit embarrassed but smiled. "Well, it's okay with me. We'll clean up," she offered.

"No, it's fine. Leave it. We'll take care of it. You're the guests. Since I'm cutting our dinner short, it's the least I can do," Jason said with a sheepish smile.

"Thanks for dinner," Parker said. She turned to Daisy. "It was nice talking to you, Daisy."

"Yes, it was," Daisy said, her tone a bit surprised at the fact.

Parker got up and grabbed her purse. "I'll see you later. Thanks," Piz said to Jason. He grinned knowingly at him and left the kitchen with Parker.

"That was really kind of tacky, Jay," Daisy said with a disapproving look. "My mother would not approve!"

"Good thing she's not here then, huh?" he replied. He swept her up against him and bent down to kiss her neck.

She pushed against him. "What's got into you?" she asked him.

"You!" he said. When she looked surprised, he continued, "I suddenly realized something just now."

"Oh yeah? What?" she asked curiously.

As he gazed intently down at her, the hint of playfulness that was almost always on his face when he was with her left. "I realized that I've fallen in love with you," he said.

Daisy hadn't expected him to say that. She looked flummoxed. "Really?" she asked softly.

"Yes. I've never felt like this before. I love you," he said. He waited for her response.

Daisy put her hand on his cheek and smiled. "That's good to hear because I sure wasn't going to say it first!" she informed him.

"And?" he prompted expectantly.

"And what?" she asked innocently.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't be coy! Tell me that you love me, too!" he demanded.

"And if I don't?" she said with a provocative arch of her brow. Her eyes danced with mischief. God, he loved that look on her!

"I just may have to make love to you until you are screaming your devotion for the neighbors to hear," he said smugly.

"You may try!" she said with a haughty grin.

Jason laughed, enjoying her bravado. He swept her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. After he tossed her on the bed, he began stripping off his clothes without preamble. Then he moved to the bed and covered her with his upper body and began kissing her. After a few minutes, he broke off the kiss. "I love you," he said. Then he waited.

"Good to know," she replied with a grin.

He shook his head and began unbuttoning her top. Soon she was dressed in her bra and panties only. He ran a hand slowly down her body. "I love you, Daisy," he said again.

"I know," she said arrogantly. She flung her hair back so he could get an unobscured view of her breasts. She removed her bra. "Show me!" she ordered.

He laughed and proceeded to do just that. Afterward, she lay with his arms wrapped around her, spooning her. He was half asleep with a smile of contentment on his face. She turned in his arms and looked at him. She leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the lips. He opened his eyes and smiled down at her. "You're one tough lady!" he exclaimed. Although he had given it his best effort, he had only succeeded in getting her to scream his name.

"If you break my heart, I will never forgive you!" she told him with fire in her eyes.

"I'll do my best not to," he said earnestly.

"Okay then," she said. She turned back around.

He placed a kiss on the nape of her neck. "Daisy, I love you," he said for the tenth time that night.

"I love you, too," she finally said.

He closed his eyes a moment in relief, not realizing how much he wanted to hear her say the words. He turned her over, and she was grinning wickedly up at him, obviously pleased with herself. "I'm always going to have to work for it, won't I?" he asked with a sigh.

"It's the only way you won't take me for granted," she replied. She put her arms around his neck. "I'm worth it though."

He grinned down at her. "Yes, you are," he said and he began kissing her again.

******_Back at the Party******_

Logan was talking with Duncan and noticed Madison across the room tossing back another drink. "Why aren't you with your date?" Logan asked.

"I told her we weren't going to date," Duncan shared.

"You did? I take it her excessive drinking tonight is in response to her disappointment," Logan said with a smirk.

Duncan shrugged.

"Who's disappointed?" Veronica asked.

"Madison. Duncan told her it was over already," Logan shared with a grin.

Veronica's eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked eagerly. She threw her arms around him. "Thank you!"

Logan elbowed Duncan. "I told you to keep your mangy paws off my woman!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, it's not my fault she can't keep her hands off of me!" Duncan said with a teasing smile.

"Don't make me sic Dick on you!" Logan warned.

Veronica laughed. Lily came up to them. "Daddy, I gotta go potty!" she informed him.

"Okay, sweetie," Duncan said.

"I'll take her to the bathroom," Veronica offered. She grabbed Lily's hand and walked toward the downstairs bathroom. It was occupied. Lily squirmed and grabbed at herself, a strong indication that she couldn't wait. "Looks like we're going to have to go to the one upstairs, sweetie." She took Lily upstairs to the bathroom next to Lauren's room.

When they were done, Lily wandered into Lauren's bedroom, the pink décor like a beacon to the toddler. Before Veronica could grab her, Madison came out of her own room across the hall. The sight of Veronica so obviously making herself at home in her house filled her with rage. "What are you doing?" Madison demanded angrily. She stalked over to Veronica.

"Lily had to go to the bathroom, and the downstairs bathroom was occupied. She can still have accidents if you make her wait, so I brought her up here," Veronica said.

"You have no business being at _my_ sister's birthday party to begin with!" Madison said spitefully.

"Well, _your_ sister invited me. _She_ loves me!" Veronica said with an arrogant smirk.

Madison couldn't take another minute of Veronica's smug face. She'd been flashing smug looks at Madison all night. It was Veronica's fault that Duncan didn't want to date her. It was Veronica's fault that her life was in shambles. Not thinking it through, Madison pulled back her hand and slapped Veronica hard across the face.

Veronica gasped in shock and pain. She put her hand to her throbbing face. "What is wrong with you, Madison? Lily is two feet away!" she yelled, glancing pointedly into the room where Lily was playing with Lauren's dollhouse.

"You've needed a good slap for a while now," Madison said. She slapped Veronica again.

This time Veronica wasn't concerned about Lily. She took a step forward and slapped Madison equally hard. Then she turned to go get Lily. Enraged, Madison grabbed her arm to pull her back. Veronica decided that Madison was too drunk to be reasonable, so she made a fist like her dad taught her and punched Madison hard in the nose. When Madison's nose started gushing blood, Madison screamed. Lily came out of the room and saw the blood and screamed with her.

Several people came up the stairs, Duncan and Logan amongst them. "My God! What the hell happened?" Madison's dad asked.

Madison pointed angrily at Veronica. "She did this, Daddy!" she wailed.

When all eyes looked at Veronica, she pointed to her red face. "She slapped me _twice_ first! When I tried to walk away, she grabbed me! She's trashed and trying to pick a fight!" Veronica said hotly. "Let's go, Logan." She turned to leave, dismissing Madison.

Madison had never felt such hatred for another living person. Once again she made out like _she_ was the victim. It was too much for Madison. She let out an angry scream and shoved Veronica hard from behind. Veronica pitched forward and hit the edge of the table in the hall. Logan grabbed her before she hit the ground. "What's ****ing wrong with you, Madison? Veronica's pregnant!" Logan shouted in anger.

He looked at Veronica in concern. She was holding her stomach. The overalls she was wearing made it impossible to exam her. Mac and Lauren came upstairs with Dick trailing behind them. "What's going on?" Mac asked in concern.

"Catfight," Duncan said. He picked up his daughter to soothe her. She was crying. "My daughter isn't even in kindergarten, Madison. She doesn't need to see two grown women fighting like children!" He turned to Logan. "Is she okay?"

"I'm okay," Veronica replied. She glared at Madison.

"Let's get you out of the costume, Veronica," Mac said. She led Veronica into Lauren's bedroom.

Marilyn made it upstairs and gasped in horror when she saw all the blood on Madison. "My God! What's going on up here?"

"Veronica and Madison were fighting in front of my daughter," Duncan said flatly. He turned to go downstairs.

"Maddie, it's so not cool to pick a fight with a pregnant chick! If you wanted to fight with Ronnie, you should've done it before she had a bun in her oven!" Dick said with a disapproving frown. He headed to the bedroom to check on Veronica.

"Let's get you to the hospital, sweetheart," Madison's dad said.

"What about our guests?" Marilyn asked in concern.

"I'm sure Natalie and Sam can handle everything. Why don't you go find them? I'll take Madison into the bathroom to get a wet towel," he replied. He led Madison away.

Inside Lauren's room, Veronica had put on a pair of Lauren's shorts and a t-shirt. Logan was on his knees examining Veronica's stomach in concern. "I'm fine, Logan. I'm not made of glass," Veronica said.

Logan kissed her stomach and pulled the shirt down. "You are pregnant, Veronica. And you told me more than once that the first trimester is the worse time for a pregnant woman. You aren't quite done yet with that part," Logan said.

"Logan, women's stomachs are designed to protect the baby," Mac assured him.

"Yeah, but she hit the corner of the table very hard!" Logan said angrily.

"What happened?" Lauren asked. "Why were you and Madison fighting?"

Veronica shared what happened. "I tried to walk off after I slapped her back when she slapped me for _the second time_! That's when I punched her," Veronica said flatly.

"I've tried to tell everyone not to make you mad!" Dick exclaimed with a grin. "She should be glad you didn't bring your tazer."

Logan ignored Dick and said, "We should go to the hospital and get you checked out just to be safe."

"Okay," Veronica said. She got up.

Logan picked her up. "Logan, put me down! I can walk!" Veronica ordered.

"I don't care. You could trip on the way downstairs," Logan said.

"Or you could and that'd be worse," Veronica said sternly.

"Fine but walk slowly," Logan said as he put her back down. He kept his arms around her and headed for the bedroom door.

"Thanks for the great party, Lauren. Sorry for ruining it," Veronica said.

"You haven't ruined it! It's been great. I'm sorry, Madison's so crazy!" she said.

"Should we go with you?" Dick asked.

"No, we'll call you," Veronica said.

They left. "The moms are not going to be pleased," Mac said tiredly to Dick and Lauren.

"Tell me about it. Madison's going to milk her broken nose all she can," Lauren said knowingly.

"Are you sure Ronnie's going to be okay? Jazmin lost her baby falling down stairs," Dick said.

"That's not very common. Usually falls don't lead to miscarriages. Most happen because something is wrong with the baby," Mac said. "Veronica just went to the doctor a few days ago. She'll be fine."

"I hope so," Dick said worriedly.

Mac gave him a hug. "Everything's going to be fine. Let's go downstairs and assure everyone else."

Duncan was waiting downstairs with Lily. She was still upset. "Veronica has to go to the doctor. She has an owie!" Lily shared. "Lauren's sister had an owie, too. She was bleeding."

"She'll be fine, sweetie," Mac said. She gave her a kiss.

"I'm going to take her home. She's had enough excitement for one night, and it's getting late," Duncan said. "Logan said he'd call us later. I'll bring by Lily's costume in the morning."

"No rush. We have it reserved until Monday," Mac said.

"I'd rather not carry it to class, so I'll be by in the morning," Duncan replied. He looked down at his daughter. "Thank Lauren for letting us come to her party."

"Thank you, Lauren," Lily said. "Happy birthday. You can come to my party when it's my birthday."

"When's your birthday?" Lauren asked.

"December 30th," Duncan said. "She was almost a New Year's baby."

"Have a good night," Mac said.

Dick gave Lily a kiss goodbye. Her tears had finally dried up. They waved goodbye. Then he looked at Lauren and grinned. "You really know how to throw a party!" he exclaimed. He threw his arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug.

Lauren laughed. "Well, you made a very cute cowardly lion," she remarked.

"Cowardly lion?" Dick asked in confusion.

"You know. You're Dorothy's Cowardly Lion who wants to ask the Wizard Oz for courage," she replied.

Dick looked at Mac in accusation. "You didn't tell me that! You said I was her lionly guard!" he protested.

Mac giggled. "Sorry, hon. But I didn't think you'd know the difference," she said.

Lauren laughed and Dick looked disgruntled. "You're so mean!" he said to Mac.

Mac leaned up and whispered in his ear, "That's not what you said last night!" She gave him a wicked glance and walked off to find her mother.

Lauren gave Dick a questioning glance. "What did she say?" she asked.

Dick sighed. "You're sister is a bad, bad girl!" he proclaimed and walked after her with a shake of his head.

Lauren laughed. The two of them were so cute together. She hoped she'd find a guy who loved her like Dick loved his sister. It was funny how he'd dated both her sisters. It was like he was fated to be with a Sinclair in one way or another. Lauren thought it was very romantic. She just wished Madison was happier about the new changes in their life. She loved both her sisters. Just because Mac was easier to love, it didn't mean Lauren loved Madison any less. She wished Madison would understand that.

******_At the Beach House******_

A still worried Logan walked behind Veronica into their house. She wouldn't let him carry her like he wanted. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her for the hundredth time.

"I told you, Logan, _I am fine_!" Veronica said in exasperation. "The doctor said I was fine. I'm not bleeding. If the baby was in danger I'd be bleeding, and I'm not. We can schedule a follow-up with our doctor Monday."

"I really want to kill Madison!" Logan said, still angry. "What was she thinking? Slapping you and then shoving you into hard objects?"

"She wasn't obviously. She was drunk and pissed. Never a good combination," Veronica said as she walked into their bedroom.

"Do you want me to run a hot bath for you?" Logan asked.

"That sounds nice," she said. He went into the bathroom and started the water while she stepped out of her clothes.

"I'll go make you some hot chocolate since you can't have a glass of wine," Logan said.

"I could have one the doctor said, but I won't. I don't want my baby getting any taste for alcohol. Not with our DNA," she said.

"Good point!" Logan said with a rueful smile. He left her to step into the bath.

She bent down and poured some bubble bath into the tub. Then she pinned up her hair. It was already growing back out from where she'd cut it in Italy. She stepped into the tub and let the hot water relax her. Although she tried to hide it from Logan, she had been pretty anxious about her baby. Finding out she was okay had been a real relief.

Logan came in with her hot coca. "We really need to replace that tub with a bigger Jacuzzi tub, so I can join you easily!" he said.

"You can join me now if you want," she said with coy smile.

"I'd rather you relax. You and baby have had enough excitement for one night. No use in getting you all worked up over the sight of my naked physique," he bragged.

She laughed. "Why don't you go call Trina and see how Richie's doing? She's not called since she left," Veronica said.

Logan pulled out his phone and dialed #7 on his speed dial. The phone went to voicemail. "Trina, it's me. We are just checking in to see how you and Richie were doing. Give us a call," he said. He hung up his phone. "She didn't pick up."

Veronica frowned. "I hope everything's okay," she said.

"I'm sure it is. She would've called if it wasn't. She probably turned off her phone because she put Richie to bed and didn't want him woken up," Logan pointed out.

"You're probably right. But I'll feel better when she brings him home," Veronica said.

"She said she'd bring him back tomorrow or Monday morning. We'll call again in the morning," Logan said. "Are you hungry?"

Veronica grinned. "You know I shouldn't be after all that food, but something sweet would be nice," she admitted.

"Ice cream?" he suggested knowingly.

She nodded. "I don't think we have any left though," she said.

"Well, you relax and have your bath. I will jump in the other shower and get rid of the remaining silver goo. Then I'll run to the store," Logan said.

Veronica giggled looking at him. He had silver spots mixed in with his natural skin tone on his face and neck. It was a bit disconcerting. "The nurses thought you were pretty strange. It's the first time I've ever seen women look at you that way!" she exclaimed.

"Yea, the weird looks were a first. Then the little kid pointing and asking questions loudly in the waiting room was a bit off-putting," Logan admitted.

"Too bad Dick didn't come with us!" Veronica said with a grin.

Logan laughed. "Just promise me next time we are invited to a costume party that _I_ get to pick our costume!" he insisted.

"I promise," she said. Logan left and she closed her eyes. She was still smiling. She couldn't wait to get the pictures developed that they snapped. Her dad and Alicia would get such a kick out of it. Then she thought of what Madison did and her smile left.

She spent the next ten minutes fantasizing about all the ways she was going to make Madison suffer. The stupid woman had put her baby at risk. She didn't just get to walk away from that. Veronica may be pregnant, but she wasn't helpless. No one got to endanger her baby. Madison Sinclair would regret it.

******_Chapter End*****_


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks so much for those that take time to review. Those that don't log in but still review, thanks a bunch! I appreciate your words of encouragement and thoughts! **

**For those wondering about sequel to "Ricochet", I did start the first chapter, but then I started new full time job last week that leaves me less free time. However, I will get to it; I promise!**

Chapter 14: Regret

*****_Sunday Morning_*****

Duncan parked in front of Mac's house but hesitated before he got out of his car. He hadn't thought about it when he'd mentioned dropping off Lily's Dorothy costume, but Parker lived here, too. He hadn't spoken with her since the day at Java Hut when she told him they couldn't see each other anymore. Except for the fleeting moment in the cafeteria at the beginning of the week, he hadn't even laid eyes on her. He wasn't sure how to proceed now. Should he just act casual when he felt anything but casual? Should he tell her how much he missed her? Or would that make him seem like an even bigger loser? Feeling nervous, he got out of the car and grabbed the bag with the costume in it. He took a deep breath and walked up to the door.

He tried to contain his reaction when Piz answered the door wearing boxers and a t-shirt. It was obvious that he'd spent the night. Duncan felt like he'd been sucker punched. The two men stared awkwardly at one another in silence. Finally, Piz asked, "Can I help you?"

"Is Mac here? I have Lily's costume to give her," Duncan said flatly.

"Who's there?" Parker asked from behind him.

Piz turned and stepped back. "You should probably deal with it. I'm going to get dressed," he said. He gave her a small smile as he went upstairs.

Parker moved to see who was at the door and was caught off guard to see Duncan standing there holding a bag. "Oh, Duncan. Come in," she said with a friendly smile.

"No, that's okay. I just came to give Mac Lily's costume. Is she here?" Duncan asked, trying hard to not show what he was feeling.

Parker smiled at him. "I bet she was adorable! I can't wait to see pictures!" she exclaimed. "Mac stayed at the beach house. They were worried about Veronica, but she's fine. I'll give it to her."

"Fine," he said, not returning her smile. He couldn't believe she could just stand there being so friendly and acting like everything was normal. He held out the bag. Her smile faltered in the face of his coldness, but she reached to take it. Their hands brushed for a moment. She looked up at him, regret in her eyes.

"Duncan, it's good to see you," she said softly.

Duncan couldn't pretend anymore. "Yeah, right. Whatever. I'll see you around," he said dismissively. He turned to leave.

"Duncan, wait!" Parker said. "Can't we be friends? Please?"

He gave a bitter laugh. "You're already sleeping with him! I would've waited for you as long as it took, but just like that, you let him back in your bed," Duncan said, his tone reflecting both his disgust and his hurt. "No, Parker, we can't be friends. I don't want to be your friend. I wanted so much more from you." He turned back from her and walked back toward his car, leaving her to close the door behind him.

She stood there watching him leave, trying not to cry. What right did she have to cry over Duncan when she had chosen Piz? She hurt Duncan anyway, and she hated herself for doing so.

******_At the Beach House_******

Dick was in the kitchen scrambling eggs when Mac wandered in. "What are you doing?" Mac asked.

"Cooking us breakfast," he said with a grin. "The pancakes are already done."

"Really? That's very sweet of you," Mac said smiling at him in approval. She went to him and gave him a light kiss.

"Ronnie's always starvin' in the mornings these days," Dick shared.

"Is that bacon I smell?" Veronica asked coming into the kitchen sniffing the air.

"Yep. I'm cooking us a feast!" Dick boasted.

"Isn't it great that our men know how to cook?" Veronica said to Mac.

Mac laughed. "You know more than I do. You can at least bake! I never cared to learn, and my mother was never one to drag me into the kitchen. I guess she knew better," Mac said, smiling.

"Are you feeling okay?" Dick asked Veronica.

"Yeah, I feel fine," she said.

"I can't believe Maddie went off on you like that!" Dick exclaimed. "What was she thinking?"

"She wasn't. She was wasted," Mac said.

"That's not an excuse," Dick said. "At least no one ever thinks it is when I use it!"

"Because it's not," Veronica said flatly. "And she's going to regret putting her hands on me."

Mac frowned in disapproval. She knew Madison crossed the line, but she was Lauren's sister. It put Mac in an awkward position. "Veronica, please! I know she was awful. But Lauren loves her, and I love Lauren," Mac said.

"Mac, how long are you going to play that card?" Veronica asked crossly.

"As long as it works," Mac said with a smile. "As long as you love me and I love Lauren, we have to tolerate Madison."

Veronica glared at her, not happy. "She shouldn't be allowed to get away with hitting me, especially when I'm pregnant," Veronica said in annoyance.

"You don't get away with things, Veronica. Karma. Madison is an unhappy person already because of the way she treats people," Mac said. "She doesn't get away with anything really."

Veronica sighed in resignation. "Fine. I'll let this slide, but I won't make any promises if she gets in my face again," Veronica said. "You better keep her away from me."

Logan came into the kitchen. "Good morning everyone," he said. He kissed Veronica and sat down at the table. "I see Dick is earning his keep this morning."

"He's been a good boy," Veronica said, grinning.

"Did Trina call you because I didn't get any messages from her," Logan asked Veronica.

Veronica frowned. "No. She didn't call me either," Veronica said.

They heard the front door open. "She must be home," Mac observed. Everyone but Dick left the kitchen to go see who had arrived. They saw that it was a very harried looking Trina carrying Richie in his carrier.

"Trina, you're back!" Veronica observed. "We were worried when you didn't call."

"Yeah, well, sorry," Trina said sourly. She took off her jacket after she put the baby down. Veronica wasted no time in removing Richie from the carrier. She was smothering him in kisses while Trina threw herself down on the chair with an exhausted sigh.

"Are you okay?" Logan asked.

"No! The weekend was pretty much a disaster! Richie did nothing but fuss and cry. I'm so exhausted!" Trina complained.

"He's a little young for travel, sis," Logan said. "He'll be better at it when he's older."

"I'm not so sure," Trina said with a frown. "Not to mention, I didn't realize how much work he really is without you guys here to help me."

Logan laughed. "Now she appreciates us!" Logan exclaimed.

"Boy, do I, brother!" Trina said tiredly.

"Well, Richie belongs here with his family anyway," Veronica said happily. Logan reached for his nephew, and Veronica reluctantly handed him over.

Logan grinned down at Richie who waved his arms in recognition. Love and awe filled Logan. He never got tired of looking at his nephew. His tiny little hands were so cute. Logan let him grab his finger. The little man had such a tight grip already. He would grow up strong. Logan idly wondered if his dad had been a tall man. He decided to ask. "Trina, was Richie's dad a tall man?" he asked her.

She looked surprised at the question. Logan had never asked anything about who Richie's dad was once she admitted she wasn't sure. "Logan, you know I'm not sure which guy is his father," she admitted.

"Surely, you can narrow it down to a few possibilities?" Logan pointed out.

"Why should I, Logan? What would be the point of that? Richie is never going to know him," Trina said in annoyance.

"What if he asks someday? And he will," Logan said. "I wonder about his dad, so I can imagine how hard it will be for him to have his mom say she didn't know who his dad was."

Trina looked a bit ill at that thought. "He'll just think his mom's a big whore. Thanks for pointing that out!" Trina exclaimed, upset.

"Of course, he won't!" Mac told her. "You will just explain the pit falls of too much alcohol and partying. Admit you're ashamed of your behavior and wish you could tell him but honestly can't. Take it from me, he'll appreciate your openness and honesty more than he'll be upset."

"You think?" Trina asked hopefully.

"She's right," Veronica agreed. She reached out her hands and made Logan give her back the baby. "Disillusionment sets in when we find out our parents aren't who we think they are. Being honest with him from the beginning will be the best choice."

Trina watched Veronica with Richie. She loved Richie so much. It struck her sometimes how such a strong bad-ass ball buster just melted whenever she looked at Trina's son. She smiled at them. "You are really great with him, Ronnie," Trina observed. She looked at Logan. "Face it, Logan. You're probably going to be the only father Richie will ever know. I hope you're okay with that."

Logan glanced down at his nephew and smiled. "I think I can handle that," he said.

Dick came in. "Food's ready. Oh, hey, Trina!" Dick said as he noticed her. "How's the little man?" He held out his arms for his turn. Veronica reluctantly surrendered him to Dick.

"And Dick will be the best uncle. And he has Duncan and Wallace. Richie doesn't need to know who the sperm donor is," Veronica said. "And he has Mary and my dad and Alicia in the grandparent role. He'll never lack for love or family."

Trina smiled. "Very true. Do you mind taking care of him for a few hours? I am exhausted!" she asked Veronica and Logan.

"Logan has to go by Faces for a few hours, but I'm free," Veronica said.

"Great!" Trina said as she got up.

"Don't you wanna eat? I made breakfast," Dick asked.

"No thanks. I had a bagel earlier. Too tired to eat anything else," Trina said. She bent down and kissed Richie's forehead and headed to her room.

"See, snookums, Trina's not going to take Richie from us," Logan said. He put his arms around her shoulder and looked down at Richie.

"You thought she would?" Dick asked in alarm. "Why would she do that?"

"Veronica was just concerned when Trina took off with Richie," Mac explained. "He's her son and she can do that whenever she wants."

"Well, she should just give Richie to you guys and then visit him whenever she wants!" Dick suggested like it was a simple solution.

All three of his listeners looked shocked at his suggestion. "Dick, a baby isn't like a car. You don't just give your baby to someone, especially after he's been born and you've grown to love him," Mac said.

"I'd take him, of course, but Trina loves her baby too much to do such a thing," Veronica said.

"Nor would we risk the heartbreak," Logan said. "How awful would that be? She'd have to give up the title of mother and have no direct say in Richie. She'd have to listen to her son call someone else mom. I can't imagine Trina would do well with that. She has never liked to share. Not to mention what it would do to us if she changed her mind later."

"Besides, I'm not sure we could handle two babies so close in age. Not now," Veronica said as she lifted Richie up and let him practice standing. She couldn't wait until he started running around getting into things.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot for a moment you're pregnant! When are you going to start showing? You don't look pregnant!" Dick observed.

"I've gained ten pounds already!" Veronica said with a pout. "How can you not see that?"

Mac laughed. "You should know better than ask that, Veronica!" she said. She got up. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

They headed into the kitchen.

******_An Hour Later*****_

Eli met Logan at Faces. It was the first time he'd been there. He looked around with interest. The main office was nice-not too flashy but comfortable. It was Sunday, so no one was working. He wandered around and saw the baby crib. That must be for Trina's baby. Seeing it made him think of Jazmin. He loved the thought of her being pregnant with his child. She'd make a wonderful mother. Eli just knew without a doubt that he could make her happier than she'd ever been if they were married and had a family. However, he knew she was far from ready for that step. Her freak out over the pregnancy scare was very telling. She may love him, but she was not where he was in their relationship. But that was okay. His grandmother always told him that good things come to those who wait, and he'd wait for her. He'd give her as much time as she needed. He wanted her to be as sure and hopeful about their future together as he was.

He saw an open door at the end of the hall and correctly guessed that it was Logan's. Logan was his desk looking at some papers. He looked up when he saw Eli.

"Good morning," Logan said smiling. "Thanks for coming."

"Your dime," Weevil said with a shrug. "Cool place you got here. Kind of empty on a Sunday though."

"Yep. No one comes in except me, Dick, or Mac on Sundays," Logan replied.

"I still can't believe you went into business with your dumb sidekick," Weevil said, grinning.

"I can't believe you opened your own P. I. business with an Italian mobster's son," Logan retorted. "And Dick isn't dumb. He just is sometimes careless and doesn't waste time learning things that don't interest him. There's not a more dependable and loyal soul on the planet and no one else I'd trust more."

Weevil replied, "That says a lot. He's grown on me anyway."

"Hey, if Veronica can learn to love him, anyone can!" Logan teased.

Weevil chuckled as he sat down in the chair across from Logan. He handed Logan a memory card.

Logan stuck it in his computer and began looking through the pictures. One of Leanne laughing while at work really struck him. She looked perfectly normal-happy even. Logan didn't know whether to be relieved or angry that she was so content to be without her only daughter. Then again he knew better than most how deceiving appearances could be. It was an easy thing to put on a happy face.

"So what were your impressions?" Logan asked Weevil.

"Her friend must trust her a lot since she let her move in with her and her young son. She has a good reputation at the restaurant. She's been there six months. No signs of alcohol abuse. I went in and had breakfast there. She was my server, and she seemed perfectly normal to me," Weevil said.

"She had no idea who you were?" Logan asked.

"Nah. She's never seen me before. I wore a hat and long sleeves, so I wouldn't stand out," Weevil said.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short. That ugly mug is unforgettable!" Logan joked.

Weevil flipped him off.

Logan laughed. "Well, I'm glad she's okay. Although it kind of pisses me off that she got her shit together and still hasn't contacted her daughter," Logan said.

"Maybe she's afraid Veronica will reject her. When you really screw up and hurt those you love, it's hard to face everyone that matters," Weevil said sagely.

"True. I want Veronica to know that her mother still loves her," Logan said. "I used to spend time around Veronica's mom back when Lilly was alive. They were very close before Lilly died. Her mom didn't start abusing the alcohol until her dad lost his job. Things spiraled from there."

"So are you going to tell Veronica?" Weevil asked.

"I think it may be better to fly up to Portland and see her myself and give her a push to come home on her own," Logan said. "Veronica will feel better if she believes her mom came to the decision on her own."

"But how will Veronica feel if she finds out you gave her mom the push and didn't tell her?" Weevil wondered.

"She'll be pissed but she'll get over it. Having our child and her mom sober and happy in her life again will make it all worth it," Logan said confidently.

"If you say so," Weevil said doubtfully. He shrugged. "Your call."

"Yes, it is, so don't say anything to her," Logan said pointedly.

"I won't," Weevil said.

"Send me an itemized bill with_ receipts_, and I'll pay you," Logan told him, emphasizing the receipts.

"I'll get it to you one day this week," Weevil said with a roll of his eyes. Logan handed him his memory card after he transferred the pictures to his computer. "I tried to get Jazmin to come with me, so we could make a weekend of it but she wouldn't come."

"Couldn't stand all that alone time with you, huh?" Logan said grinning.

"Too much school work," Weevil replied. He decided to unburden himself because he didn't think telling Jason was a good idea. "She was a little freaked this week because your woman put the idea in her head that she was pregnant."

"Really?" Logan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I popped in her on her in her bedroom before I left town Friday, and she was looking at two pregnancy tests," Weevil shared.

"Bet your heart stopped for a moment," Logan said with a knowing grin.

"For an instant. Followed by pure excitement," Weevil said. "But it was fleeting because she was quick to point out that the tests were negative. She's definitely not ready to have a child. You know she lost a baby in high school?"

"Who doesn't after that scene with her dad?" Logan reminded him.

Weevil nodded as he recalled it. "Losing a baby would always be hard, but I think it traumatized her because of all the shit that with down Joseph. Finding out he was cheating on her; then he was the reason she fell down the stairs," Weevil said. "So thinking she was pregnant kind of scared her a lot I think."

"You know last night at Mac's sister's birthday party, Madison and Veronica got into a fight. Veronica bloodied her nose and she shoved Veronica into a table. For a split second, I thought I was going lose it," Logan revealed.

"Really? Madison Sinclair attacked Veronica knowing she was pregnant?" Weevil asked in dismay. "Is she and the baby okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. We went to the hospital just to make sure. The doctor said knocking into something wouldn't cause her to miscarry and that the baby was well insulated," Logan said.

"God help Madison if it was otherwise," Weevil said grimly.

"Yeah, right? I don't even want to imagine that. I used to think I'd never be a father. Never imagined that I'd be a good one. Not with my dear 'ole dad as an example. Now I can't wait," Logan said grinning happily.

Weevil grinned. "It's amazing the difference a good woman can make. And speaking of good women, I need to go see mine!" Weevil said. He got up from the chair.

"Thanks again!" Logan said as Weevil waved goodbye.

"No problem. Anytime," Weevil said. And he meant it. Neither he nor Logan was the same men they'd been in high school. They had both come to admire and respect the other. They may never spend a lot of time together, but both men knew the other was someone they could count on. Finally, after four years, Veronica had succeeded in doing the impossible. The one time rivals, even enemies, were more than just friends less than brothers. But bound irrevocably together.

Logan wondered what Lilly thought about that if she could see them. He had a feeling that she was laughing and feeling quite pleased with herself. The thought made him smile.

******_At Jazmin's_******

Jazmin smiled to find Eli at her door shortly after lunch. She gave him a hug. "Did your job work out like you wanted?" she asked as she let him in.

"Yep. No problems. I just had to run someone down and get some pictures. No big deal," he said. "How about you? Get your work done?"

"Yes, for the most part. I have a bit to do still but I got a lot done," she said. She hadn't got much done after her run in with David, but she had worked some more this morning after getting some sleep. The sleeping pills she'd picked up from the student health center finally did the trick.

"Are your roomies here?" Eli inquired, looking around for evidence of them.

"Yes, Parker's in her room. She's a bit upset. Duncan was here this morning dropping off Lily's costume and Piz had stayed the night," Jazmin shared.

"Bet that didn't sit well with him," Eli said knowingly.

"Parker said he was pretty upset. And now she's upset and feeling guilty for being upset," Jazmin said with a sigh. She felt bad for both of them.

"It'll get better eventually. Time usually works those things out," he said.

"I hope so," she replied.

"Let's go up to your room. More privacy," Eli said with a grin.

Jazmin shrugged and headed up to her room. When he got into her room, he closed the door behind him. Then he grinned at her. "I've really missed you," he said. "It's been forever since we've been alone it seems." He meant, of course, that it'd been too long since he'd gotten to make love to her.

Jazmin smiled. He reached for her and pulled her to him. "We would've had fun in Portland," he said giving her a wicked leer. Then he kissed her.

Jazmin wanted to return his kiss because she did miss being close to him. She put her arms around him and let him have the kiss he wanted. Soon, she was lost in the familiar taste and feel of him. He moved her back until her legs were against her bed. He broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her neck. Then he eased her back onto her bed. At first, she wasn't alarmed. His touch was gentle and his kisses so sweet. But then he moved his hands under her shirt, and she involuntarily tensed. David's face flashed in her mind, his hand under her shirt, grabbing her breasts in his rough embrace.

Jazmin tried to clear her mind and looked at Eli's face-a face she loved, a face she trusted. He smiled warmly at her, his eyes filled with love and lust. She put her hand on his cheek. He felt real and solid. Then he began kissing her again, and her eyes closed. He moved his body some and his weight pressed on top of her. Panic filled her. She struggled and broke off the kiss. "Stop!" she yelled.

Eli looked down at her in confusion and didn't move. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She pushed against him. "Get off of me!" she ordered, an edge of panic in her voice.

Eli moved and sat up. He looked at her in alarm. "Princess, what's wrong?" he asked again.

She scrambled and moved back until she hit the headboard, her knees in front of her like a shield. She wrapped her arms around them. Feeling lost and afraid, she looked wordlessly at him. He reached for her and she pulled back, unable to stop herself.

Now Eli was getting angry. The woman he loved was looking at him like he was a stranger. A stranger she was frightened of. "Why are you acting like this? What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded.

Jazmin was at a loss. What could she say? Her eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away. "Just leave," she said, her voice breaking.

"The hell I will!" he exclaimed. "You are going to talk to me right now and explain to me why you are acting like a scared virgin on her wedding night!"

Finally, Jazmin said the only thing she could think of saying to explain her reaction. "I don't want to get pregnant," she said.

"Well, I sure don't plan on getting you pregnant. You're on the pill and I use condoms. We won't get pregnant," he assured her.

"You can't know that. Birth control isn't foolproof. Ask Veronica and Logan," she replied stubbornly.

Eli looked at her in disbelief. "So now suddenly you don't want us to have sex? Isn't it a little late to put that particular genie back in its bottle?" he asked. He couldn't imagine not making love to her. He wasn't a saint or a monk. Nor was she a prude. His eyes narrowed as he looked closely at her. She was really upset. He frowned in concern. This didn't make much sense to him.

"Babe, talk to me? What's really going on?" he asked beseechingly.

"Things are moving too fast between us," she said.

Surprised, he said, "What do you mean _fast_? We've known each other for over a year. Our first kiss was almost a year ago," he reminded her.

"Yes, but we weren't together. We haven't even been together even two full months, and I'm already having pregnancy scares," she said, hating herself more than ever for what she was doing to him.

Eli looked a bit guilty at that. "I'm sorry, Jazmin. I really am. But you know that sometimes happens when a couple is intimate," he said. He tried to reach for her hand, but once again she moved back.

"So now I can't even touch you?" he asked in dismay.

"I think you should leave. We need to take a break. This is too much for me right now. I can't handle it. I can't!" she said upset. She put her head down on her arms that were wrapped around her knees, refusing to meet his gaze anymore.

Eli was at a loss. She had never once backed away from sex with him. In fact, she always seemed to love their time together. "Jazmin, look at me, please," he asked quietly. She was upset. He got that. He didn't know what to do, however. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and it was killing him. He'd never felt so helpless. Eli didn't know how to reassure her. He couldn't promise to never touch her.

"Babe, what do you want from me?" he asked.

_I want you to hold me and never let go_ was what she wanted to say to him. Instead, she hardened her heart and wiped her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I love you, Eli. But our relationship is moving too fast. I'm not ready to be a mother. I can't go there. Not now. You need to give me space." Space was the only thing that was going to keep him from finding out the truth. She had to push him away. Unless she wanted to tell him, she didn't have a choice.

Eli got up from the bed in disbelief. "Space? Are you ****ing kidding me right now? How can two people in love give each other space? How can two lovers just quit being lovers?" he asked incredulous.

When she just looked at him without speaking, he said, "They can't! I'm not going anywhere! I love you too damn much, and you're just going to have to deal with it and deal with me!"

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry, too," he said sourly. "I'll go. But don't think I won't be back. You and I will _never_ be over!" He went out her bedroom door, unable to resist slamming the door in frustration.

Jazmin stared at the closed door in dismay. Regret filled her. What did she just do? How could she get past this without Eli? Without his strength, his love? Her mind replayed the scene between them. He wanted to make love to her like he'd done so many wonderful times before. She'd _always_ wanted him. In fact, she had never been so desperate to be with any man the way she always was with Eli. But now it was different. She was broken and now David's face, his touch was imprinted on her somehow. She sunk down in her bed as sobs wracked her body. She was never going to be free of David.

******_Chapter End******_

_Don't worry about Madison. Will get back to her in a few chapters. You know the girl can't keep from pissing off Veronica! Please, please take a minute and review! (if you're still reading AND enjoying, of course)_


	15. Chapter 15

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. The tone is about to shift in this story or rather my 2nd main plotline will begin in the next chapter.**

Chapter 15: Heartbreak and Healing

******_The Next Day******_

Jason didn't make it back to his house until the next morning. He had driven Daisy home last night after their date, and she had so very nicely persuaded him to stay. The woman surely knew how to distract a guy. He had an article past due for the school paper, but he hadn't managed to make time to write it. However, he wasn't complaining. The time he spent with Daisy was so worth it! He saw Eli sitting on their couch. He waved.

"It's about damn time! Do you not ever check your damn phone? I've called you like a dozen times!" Eli yelled.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked in alarm. He'd never seen Eli so worked up before.

"It's your sister. The woman has lost her damn mind!" Eli exclaimed. "I think she just broke up with me!"

"What?" Jason asked. That was the last thing he expected Eli to say. "What do you mean?"

"I told you there was something up with her and I thought it was the pregnancy scare but now I don't know! She's lying to me! I just know it! Doesn't want me to touch her? Since when? Your sister can't normally keep her hands off of me and now she's acting like she's afraid of me. You need to go talk to her!" Eli said, talking faster than Jason had ever heard him talk.

Jason worked through what Eli said. "What pregnancy scare? And why is she afraid of you? What did you do?" Jason asked, taking a step toward Eli and clenching his fists.

Eli got up. "Don't you_ dare_ look at me like that! I'd never hurt your sister for anything and if you don't know that, you don't know me at all!" Eli said angrily. "Friday I walked into her room and she was looking at two negative pregnancy tests."

"She's not pregnant?" Jason asked.

"No. She was pretty freaked about the possibility, so I chalked up her odd behavior the past week to concern about that. However, the more I think about her behavior and what went down last night, the more convinced I am that something else is wrong," Eli shared.

"What exactly did she say?" Jason asked in concern.

"She told me to get away from her. Not to touch her and that we were moving too fast. She suddenly needs space," Eli said grimly. He still couldn't believe it.

Jason frowned. "Maybe she just needs some space. Give her a few days," Jason said.

Eli took a step toward him. "No, damn it! That's _not_ it! I know Jazmin, and I know she loves me. You don't take space from people you love for no damn good reason. We haven't been fighting. There's nothing wrong between us. You take space when your boyfriend is a jerk or acting like a possessive asshole. I've not done one thing to piss her off! Nor have I done anything to make her so jumpy and afraid!" Eli yelled angrily. He was so frustrated and so upset that he really wanted to hit Jason for not taking this seriously.

"You didn't see her after she lost her baby. My parents almost hospitalized her. She was a wreck," Jason said, grim at the memories. "If she really had a pregnancy scare, it could just be taking her to that dark place." His phone rang. It was Daisy. "Give me a second." He answered the phone.

"Jason, I need you," a tearful Daisy said.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked in concern. She had never cried in front of him before.

"I just got off the phone with my mom. I guess they were calling me all night and my phone was off," she said with a sniff.

"What happened?" Jason asked.

"My favorite cousin, Delores, who goes to USC, died last night in a car wreck," Daisy shared. Then Jason couldn't hear anything because she was sobbing.

"I'll be right there. Give me five minutes," he said. He hung up and turned back to an impatient Eli. "I gotta go."

"Go where?" Eli asked. "You need to go check on your sister!"

"I will _after_ I go to Daisy. Her cousin died. She's really upset, and she needs me," Jason said.

"Jazmin needs you!" Eli said in frustration.

"My sister is fine. She had a scare. She's overreacting. Give her a few days. If she's still acting this way, I'll talk to her. I promise. But I gotta go," Jason said and was out the door before Eli could say more.

Eli had not been expecting Jason's attitude. He'd basically blew Eli off. Maybe Jason was right. Maybe the thought of being pregnant was too much. He'd stop by and see her before she left for school. If she was still acting crazy, he'd go see Veronica. He knew that Veronica wouldn't blow him off.

******_Jazmin, Mac, and Parker's Place_******

Dick walked into Mac's kitchen and saw a sad Jazmin eating a bowl of cereal. "What's wrong, Jaz?" he asked as he opened the fridge.

She blinked up at Dick in surprise. He and Mac had been here so little lately that she'd forgotten they could be home. "Just not been having good days lately," she said.

"Anything I can help you with? I'm a good listener and I usually forget what people tell me, so you don't have to worry about gossip," he offered with a grin.

Jazmin gave him a sad smile. "I really think I'm beyond much help these days but thanks," she said.

"Wanna go surfing? It's the best thing to chase the blues away!" Dick said confidently.

"I don't know how," she remarked.

"I can teach you! Logan taught Veronica, and you're much more athletic than she is. I bet you'd be a natural," Dick said knowingly.

Jazmin looked bemused at the suggestion. "Isn't it a little late to be surfing? The water's cold," she said.

"The water is never that cold here. We can get you a wetsuit. I know just the place," Dick said eagerly. "Mac keeps saying she'll go surfing with me but she's still traumatized from the last time we went with Wallace and Logan the summer before last."

Jazmin found herself considering Dick's offer. She needed a distraction. Anything to take her mind off of the mess her life had become. Dick was the happiest-go-lucky person she knew. Maybe surfing was the reason. Then she recalled that Logan and Duncan surfed. Maybe not. However, she needed to do something. "Okay," she said smiling at him.

The kitchen door opened up. It was Eli. "Hey," he said, focusing his intent gaze on her.

"Why are you here?" Jazmin said frowning. She wasn't ready to go another round with him. It was too hard. Everything was too hard now.

"Why do you think? We need to talk," Eli said firmly.

She got up and put her bowl in the sink. Dick watched the scene unfold with wide eyes. Jazmin and Eli never fought that he knew of. But Eli was looking anxious and upset. Not an expression Dick had ever seen on him before.

Jazmin turned and faced Eli. "No, we don't. I told you that I need space. Please, give it to me," Jazmin said.

Eli reached for her hand, and she took a step back. "I mean it, Eli. I don't want to see you right now. I can't," she said, looking anguished.

"I don't understand. What did I do?" Eli asked helplessly. Dick felt for the guy. He often didn't know what he did either. Luckily, Mac usually told him. She wasn't like most girls. She never left him in the dark for long. It was the reason they rarely fought. She was the perfect girlfriend. Watching Jazmin and Eli, reminded him of exactly how lucky he was to have Mac.

"You didn't do anything. It's me. I'm not in a good place right now. I just need some time," she said, a woeful expression on her face.

"Away from me? I don't understand, and I'm not leaving until you explain it to me!" Eli insisted.

Jazmin gave Dick a beseeching look. Dick sighed. This wasn't going to be pretty. "Dude, she doesn't want to talk to you, so maybe you should just go," Dick said stepping forward.

Eli gave Dick an incredulous look. "Mind your own damn business!" he yelled. He turned back to Jazmin. "Baby, don't shut me out like this."

Jazmin started to cry. She hated upsetting Eli. She was a horrible person. "I don't deserve you," she said. She turned around and gave him her back.

"Weevil, you should leave," Dick said. Now Jazmin was crying. He hated when chicks cried.

"I don't need you telling me what to do, Dick!" Eli said angrily.

Dick held up his hands, not wanting to fight. "Listen, she's upset. Maybe come back later this evening," Dick suggested.

Eli sighed. He was at a loss. He didn't know what to do with her. He walked up to her and whispered, "I love you, Princess. Always and forever. No matter what. You can try to push me away, but I'll still be loving you. I'll be back." He kissed her cheek. He turned to leave, glaring at Dick. "Take care of her."

Dick nodded. When Weevil left, Dick asked, "Are you okay? Why are you breaking up with Weevil? What did he do?"

Jazmin turned to look at Dick, tears in her eyes. "Nothing. He's perfect. I'm the one that's horrible!" She put her hands over her face, unable to bear Dick's look of compassion. She didn't feel like she deserved it. She was hurting Eli simply because she didn't want to tell him what had been done to her. Everything was such a mess.

Dick went up to her and pulled her in for a hug. She was sobbing into his chest when Mac walked in.

Mac blinked in surprise at the picture in front of her. Her boyfriend was hugging an obvious distraught Jazmin. "What's wrong?" Mac asked in concern.

"She dumped Weevil and she doesn't want to tell us what he did," Dick explained.

Jazmin looked up and wiped her eyes. She stepped back. "Nothing. He did nothing. Things were just moving too fast," she said.

"I thought the guy was the one that was so supposed to freak out about that kind of thing," Dick said, trying to get her to smile.

"Girls do, too. Did you forget Veronica?" Mac reminded him.

Dick grinned. "I told Jazmin that I'd take her surfing. It'll cheer her up. She's very athletic, so I'm sure she'll do better than you!" Dick told Mac.

"Hey, thanks a lot!" Mac said laughingly.

Dick gave her a sheepish smile. "You know what I mean! Will you take notes for me in mythology?" he asked Mac.

"Sure," Mac said.

"I'm not sure I'm up for it," Jazmin said, feeling too depressed to leave the house.

"No take backs! You can't mope in the house all day or go to class and not hear anything anyway 'cause you're too upset to listen," Dick said. "A day on the water will chase all your blues away! Guaranteed!"

Jazmin sighed, giving in to his obvious enthusiasm. "Fine. I'll go," she said.

Dick grinned happily. "We'll go to my place and get my stuff. Then hit the surf shop," Dick said eagerly.

"I hope you know what you're in for," Mac said to Jazmin.

She smiled wanly and wiped her eyes. "I'll go change. I won't be long," she said to Dick.

When she left, Mac went and planted a big kiss on Dick. When she was done, Dick asked, "What was that for?"

"You are the sweetest guy and the best boyfriend!" she gushed. "You surprise me all the time."

"She was just so sad," Dick said. "What's going on with her? Weevil was really upset."

Mac frowned. "I'm not sure. I haven't been home lately," Mac said.

"Well, you may want to take time to talk to her later 'cause girls don't break up with guys they love for no reason," Dick said. "Weevil must've done something really awful."

Mac had a hard time imagining that. Weevil hadn't looked at another woman since he'd met Jazmin. He adored her. Mac had a hard time picturing him doing anything to make Jazmin break up with him. First, Parker and Duncan, and now Jazmin and Weevil. She hoped nothing else happened.

******_On Campus_******

Veronica and Mac were in their mythology class. "I can't believe it's just the two of us today," Veronica observed.

"Where's Logan?" Mac asked.

"He said he had to go to Portland to meet with a potential client," Veronica shared.

"Really? He never mentioned that to me," Mac said.

Veronica frowned. "Well, I guess I'll be sure and give him the third degree when he gets home," she said. It'd been a while since she'd had to put the screws to him. She didn't want to get rusty. And if he was keeping something from her, she knew that she could find out. "What happened to Dick?"

"He's on a mission of mercy," Mac said, a note of pride in her voice.

"Dick?" Veronica wondered. "Do tell!"

"Well, I walked into my kitchen then morning to find Jazmin in Dick's arms," Mac shared.

"That's surprising," Veronica said. "What's going on?"

"Jazmin was upset and Dick was being a sweetheart," Mac said proudly.

"That's not really a word I think of when I think about Dick," Veronica said.

"That's because you're stubborn and unforgiving," Mac pointed out. "Anyway, I guess Jazmin and Weevil may have broken up."

"What? No way!" Veronica said in disbelief.

"Dick said Jazmin was sad, so he offered to take her surfing. Then Weevil showed up wanting to talk to her. Jazmin told him to leave, that she needed space. She didn't really explain," Mac said.

"She's been acting distant the past two weeks," Veronica said with a frown.

"I've been away from the house so much that I hadn't even noticed," Mac said, feeling guilty.

"Something's going on with her," Veronica said.

"She and Weevil must not be getting along," Mac observed.

"I think Weevil would've told me if they were having problems," Veronica said.

The professor walked in. "I'll try to talk to him today," she told Mac before class started.

******_Lunch_******

Veronica was carrying her tray of food looking for a table when she spotted Duncan. She sat down at his table. He was finishing his lunch. "Hey," he said.

"I can tell you're overjoyed to see me," she observed, opening her drink.

"Sorry. How are you?" he asked.

"Good. How about you? I feel like everyone's getting the mopes these days," Veronica said. She bit into her sandwich.

"Well, I can't feel particularly sunny these days, especially when I pop by Mac's and find Piz so cozy with Parker," Duncan said grimly.

"Ouch! Sorry," Veronica said. She reached over and squeezed Duncan's hand.

"It was obvious that he'd spent the night. She's already letting him back into her bed! I still can't believe it," Duncan said in disgust.

Veronica didn't know what to say. What could she say? Nothing she said would change anything.

"Then Parker shows up and actually tells me she wants us to be friends! Like I can go back to that," Duncan said bitterly.

"You always could before. Both with me and with Jazmin. It just takes time," Veronica said.

"V, can we talk?" Weevil said, suddenly appearing at their table. He was in uniform, so he must be working on campus today.

"I'm done anyway," Duncan said. "Have a seat."

"Hang in there," Veronica said as Duncan got up. He nodded and left.

"Something's going on with Jazmin, and I have no idea what it is," Weevil told her.

"I've noticed. What happened?" Veronica asked. Weevil filled her in on what had happened.

"And just like that she tells you that she needs space? No explanation?" Veronica inquired.

"None. Well, she claims it was the pregnancy scare, but I don't buy it," Weevil said.

"I talked to her on Thursday, and she appeared listless and worn out. She told me she didn't have any energy, so I teased her about being pregnant. She got really upset. Almost in tears at the thought," Veronica said.

"I'm trying not to take it so personally because I know it really has less to do with me and more to do with what happened with that loser Joseph," Weevil said.

"True, but she was acting weird before then. That can't be the source of whatever's bothering," Veronica pointed out.

"V, I can't _not _be with her," Weevil confessed, looking sadder than Veronica had ever seen him.

"Hey, don't worry. Jazmin loves you," Veronica said, once again consoling a heartbroken male friend.

"So she says," Weevil said. "But I guess not enough. If the thought of having my baby sends her into such a downward spiral, what kind of future do we have?"

"There has to be more to this, Weev. I know it. I'll find out," Veronica said.

"Thanks. I appreciate it," Weevil said, getting up. "I gotta get back to work."

"How much longer are you going to keep working here?" Veronica asked.

"Until we make enough money to afford medical insurance at J & E. My grandmother will kill me if I quit a job with benefits," Weevil said, flashing a small smile.

Veronica watched him leave, determined to help him by figuring out what exactly was going on with Jazmin.

*****_Happy Valley, Oregon*****_

Logan paused outside the apartment building that Veronica's mom was supposed to be living in. He looked at the picture Weevil had given him. The car she was getting into matched the one in the parking lot. She was scheduled off today, so Logan had been hoping he'd find her at home. He had decided not to put off visiting with her. Logan couldn't be sure how Leanne would react to him or the idea of going back home. However, he thought it was better that he give her time to get use to the idea. Then he'd have time to prepare Veronica.

He followed a tenant into the front entrance and walked up a flight of stairs. He rang the doorbell to the apartment Weevil told him would be hers. The door opened. Veronica's mother stared at him in surprise. "Logan?" she asked.

"Hello, Mrs. Mars. May I come in?" he asked.

******_Jason and Daisy******_

Jason was at Daisy's dorm. She was devastated at the loss of her cousin. Daisy hadn't grown up with a lot of close friends. The presence of many cousins her age had never made the absence of friends strongly felt. The cousin who had died had been one of her favorites. Currently, she was on the phone with her mother, so Jason took the opportunity to call Mac.

"Mac, this is Jason," he said into his phone.

"Hey, what's up?" Mac asked.

"I'm with Daisy in her room. Her favorite cousin died in a car wreck, and she is heartbroken. I've been with her all morning. I need a few hours to get some things done, but I don't want to leave her alone. Do you think you could come stay with her until I get back?" Jason asked.

"Of course! I'll be right over," Mac said.

Jason hung up feeling relieved. He was new at being someone's boyfriend, but his years taking care of his sister had prepared him somewhat. He knew that women needed somebody to vent to when they were upset. It was part of their process. Daisy ended her call and got off the phone.

"Everything okay with your mom?" he asked.

"She wants me to drive home tomorrow. We're going to fly to Puerto Rico Wednesday. The funeral will be there on Saturday. They're going to fly her body there in the morning after the police release the body," Daisy said.

"Did you find out what happened?" he asked.

"She was with some friends. She wasn't driving but obviously the driver wasn't exactly sober. He went across the lanes into oncoming traffic. It was a head-on collision," Daisy said, looking sick as she described it. "Mother said that my Aunt Rosa could barely identify the body it was so torn up." She started crying again.

Jason pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair. "I'm so sorry, honey," he said quietly. After a few minutes, he said, "I called Mac and told her. She's coming over. I need to slip out and get some stuff done but then I'll be back."

Daisy replied, "I'm sorry for sucking up all your time."

"Hey, you don't need to apologize. I love you, and I want to be here for you. It's my job to take care of you. I need to leave for a few hours, but I won't be gone long," Jason said.

Daisy gave him a wan smile. He'd been so incredible. Never before had she had a boyfriend that she could literally cry all over. He'd been patient and understanding, and above all, kind. So incredibly kind. She hadn't realized how kind and sweet he could be. "I really appreciate you being here," she said softly. "I can't tell you how much it means to me." She rose up and gave him a soft kiss.

"I'll make arrangements to fly to Puerto Rico Friday, so I can attend the funeral with you," Jason said.

"You'd do that?" Daisy asked in amazement.

"Of course! I know you have a lot of family that loves you, but I want to be there for you, too," Jason said.

Daisy allowed herself a real smile since she'd heard the news of her cousin's death. "I love you," she said as she hugged him. Finally, she had someone; someone who would be there for her when she needed it. She hadn't realized how much better that would make her feel. Knowing he would be with her at the funeral gave her tremendous comfort.

******_The Beach*******_

Dick had taken Jazmin to his favorite surf shop and convinced her to buy a wetsuit and a board. He showed her the smaller pink board Logan had gotten for Veronica. She elected to purchase a sleek purple and black board. Jazmin surprised Dick by telling him that she was on the swim team her first two years of high school, so she was a strong swimmer. Dick was glad to hear that because it made his job easier.

So it wasn't much of a surprise that Jazmin was able to stand on the board the first time she tried. Dick couldn't resist knocking into her board and making her fall over. When she came up sputtering, Dick snickered. "Sorry! I couldn't resist! You were doing too well! I don't want you to get cocky!"

"Not funny!" she complained as she got back on her board. Dick gave her some instructions about how to ride a wave. Then he had her watch him while he rode an oncoming wave. Jazmin watched him and let the peace of the water wash over her. It was so beautiful sitting on the water looking out at the endless blue waters. She didn't understand how she'd been so close to the ocean but had spent so little time at the beach. Dick was right. The ocean was amazing. She felt better already. Next to such power and beauty, she felt insignificant. For the first time in many days, her pain began to fade. The she decided to give it a try and paddled out to the wave.

As she rode the wave, awe filled her. She felt powerful. The water surrounded her. Suddenly, she lost her balance and fell over. However, when her head broke through the surface of the water, she felt reborn. Smiling, she got back on the board and paddled to Dick, who was smiling at her.

"You did it!" he exclaimed in approval. "I knew you'd be a natural! Isn't it the most awesome thing ever?"

Jazmin smiled. "Yes, it really is! Thanks for showing me," she told him.

"Come on! Let's ride another one!" Dick said eagerly, paddling out.

Jazmin followed him, happy to finally find something that chased away the darkness.

*****_Chapter End*****_

_I was going to go further but then decided it was nice to end the chapter in a good place. I almost changed the title to "Dick to the Rescue"! I thought he was an unlikely person to bring Jazmin some comfort, but I liked the idea of it and hoped you'd enjoy it. Let me know what you think! _


	16. Chapter 16

**Although some of you have been leery of Leanne, there is no reason to be. I know most fanfiction stories have villainized Leanne. I never really understood that though because all indications from the show were Veronica and her mom were very close. Veronica easily gave up her savings to try to save her mom from her addiction. Even after her mom stole from her, she was upset senior year to learn her mom might've been a mean girl like Madison. She loved her mother. Logan, who knows her better than anyone, instinctively understands this. Addicts steal and hurt those they love. It doesn't mean they don't care, but they are a slave to their addiction. If you have addicts of any kind in your family, it will be easier to understand. When an addict makes a real effort to change, it should always be encouraged in my opinion. No matter how much Veronica may love Alicia, she's not her mother. I want to give her back her mother. My reason will be clear soon enough.**

Chapter 16: An Unexpected Turn

_********Happy Valley, Oregon********_

Leanne Mars looked at Logan a moment in shock. Then she said, "Why are you here? Is Veronica okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Do you care?" Logan asked bluntly. He stepped inside the apartment.

"Of course, I care!" she said. m

"Really? Veronica was involved in a hit and run last month, and you didn't show up to play the concerned mother," Logan said. "Veronica is convinced you don't care a thing about her."

"She's my daughter. I will always care," Leanne said flatly, turning away.

Logan shut the front door and regarded her coolly. "I hope so. I really do because your daughter needs you," Logan said. "We're expecting a baby."

"You and my daughter? Who would've thought?" Leanne said smiling. "Congratulations."

"We're engaged," Logan said.

"Really? When's the wedding?" she asked.

"New Year's Eve," Logan said.

"I wanted to come back last fall when I saw you and her on the news. But she looked so happy with you, and I didn't know if she'd want to see me," Leanne admitted.

"She doesn't know I'm here," Logan shared.

Leanne nodded in understanding. "Would you like something to drink? Please, have a seat," she gestured to the living room. She walked into the kitchen.

"So you're still drinking?" Logan asked walking to the kitchen behind her.

"No. I've been sober a year now," Leanne said as she opened up the fridge. "All I can offer you is a Pepsi, tea, or water."

"Water is fine," Logan said. Leanne handed him a bottle of water and took one for herself.

"You know your daughter told me once that you used to fill bottles of water with vodka," Logan said. He broke the cap of the water bottle. "But I can see this isn't vodka."

"No, it isn't. As soon as I heard about her almost getting shot and you taking the bullet for her last fall, I wanted to run back to Neptune. But I was a mess. I knew she wouldn't want to see me the way I was," Leanne told him. She walked a few steps and went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Logan sat down next to her. She continued, "I put down the bottle and went to a meeting."

"Just like that?" Logan asked, his doubt evident.

"No, not just like that. It was hard. I'm lonely and the booze makes me forget what a mess I've made of my life," Leanne shared.

"Yeah, it can do that," Logan said. "But only for a few hours. Then you're just depressed."

"Yes, that's true. My friends here in Happy Valley have helped me a lot. Now when I feel down, I call one of them," Leanne said.

"That's good to hear. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear, in fact," Logan said. "How do you feel about coming back home? Keith's remarried, and he's sheriff again."

She smiled. "Good for him. Keith was always the best man I knew. I'm ashamed to admit though that I could never love him the way he deserved. But he was such a wonderful father to Veronica. He loved her more than anything from the moment she was born," Leanne said.

"She's definitely a daddy's girl," Logan said with a fond smile.

"I loved my daughter, but she and I didn't have our own secret language like the two of them did," Leanne said. "When he lost his job as sheriff and my so-called friends quit talking to me, it was just the three of us. I finally realized that although I could be content as a sheriff's wife, I would never be happy married to a guy who spent most of his time chasing bail jumpers. I just didn't fit into their secret world."

"It's an honest living," Logan said.

"I know. And I'm glad Keith found someone again. He deserves it," Leanne said.

"And what do you deserve?" Logan asked.

"I'm not sure. I stole from my own daughter, Logan. I am so ashamed. How can I ever look her in the eyes again?" Leanne asked, her eyes tormented.

"Your daughter has a very big heart. I know better than anyone. She's forgiven me for quite a bit. She's about to be a mother. Don't you think now's a good time for you to come home and start building bridges again? Let her know that you care and that you're sorry," Logan said.

"I am. And I do care. Once I got sober again, I couldn't believe how low I sunk. Do you really think she can forgive me?" Leanne asked hopefully.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Logan said.

Leanne smiled. "You two have a good life?" she asked.

"We do. It's pretty amazing," Logan said with a grin.

"So tell me all about it," Leanne said eagerly. "What have I've missed?"

******_Back on Campus******_

Jason left the journalism building after submitting his article. He went to the maintenance building looking for Eli.

"Hey," Jason said when he found him. "Do you have a minute?"

Eli gave him an annoyed look. "No. I had a minute this morning, but you blew me off. Now I'm busy. Go away," he said grimly.

"Look, I'm sorry. I had to go. Daisy was crying on the phone. Her cousin died," Jason said.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it doesn't change anything," Eli said, giving Jason a disgusted look.

"Daisy's leaving for Puerto Rico tomorrow. The funeral is Saturday. I'm going to fly down there Friday to be with her," Jason said.

"Oh really? You're just going to fly to another country for a weekend when your sister is spiraling down some black hole? You're a real prince," Eli said with derision.

Jason was beginning to get annoyed. "I don't need your criticism, Eli. My girlfriend is devastated. Jazmin isn't. She's just freaking out over a pregnancy scare," Jason said.

"How do you know? Have you even went and talked to her?" Eli asked pointedly.

"Well, no, but-"

Eli cut him off. "That's what I thought. Your sister, who you claim to love more than anyone, your reason for being in this town and going to this school, has _not_ been acting right for over a week now. But you can't seem to notice or be bothered, and it's really starting to piss me off!" Eli exclaimed getting in Jason's face.

"You better back the hell off, Eli!" Jason said angrily. "You have no right to criticize me or pass judgment on my relationship with my sister! I've known her our entire lives. You, about five minutes in comparison. Don't you dare act like she doesn't matter to me! If I thought there was something actually wrong with her, I'd be the first one by her side. She's had me long before she had you!"

The two men glared angrily at one another. Eli finally turned his back. "I got work to do," he said dismissively.

Jason sighed in frustration, but he turned and left. Although Eli's insinuations really pissed him off, he decided to go see his sister. Eli wasn't one to overreact, and he was really upset. Jason headed to his car.

******_At Jazmin's*****_

Jazmin smiled as Dick relayed one of his favorite surfing stories. They'd had a great time. She could tell that nothing made Dick happier than surfing. Well, except for maybe Mac. He pulled up to her house.

"So we should do this again on Sunday with Logan. Surfing chicks are hot! We've been training Ronnie, but she's not as into as we are," Dick said with a grin. "Maybe if you start going, she'll go more." They got out of his truck. They were getting her new surf board out of the back of the truck when Jason pulled up.

Jason was more than surprised to see his sister dressed in a wet suit getting a surfboard out of Dick Casablancas' truck. "So what's going on?" he asked, smiling at the surprising sight.

Jazmin smiled at her brother. The first genuine smile she'd given him in a while. But she was feeling really great. Surfing had energized her and chased away the dark clouds that had been following her around. "Dick took me surfing!" she shared.

"Your sister was a natural!" Dick said proudly.

"Well, I'm glad you two had so much fun. I haven't gotten a chance to try it since we've been here," Jason said.

"We're going to go out again on Sunday," Dick said. "You should come with us."

"Actually, I can't. Daisy's favorite cousin died in car wreck. I'm flying Friday to Puerto Rico to attend the funeral with her," Jason shared. "Some other time."

"Dude, that blows!" Dick said with sympathy.

"Is Daisy okay?" Jazmin asked.

"Not really. She's pretty devastated," Jason shared. "Mac's with her now."

"Dude, I'll go pick up some lunch and take over to them," Dick said looking at his watch. "It's just now one. I'll call Mac and see if they've eaten."

"That's a good idea. I'll be there soon to relieve Mac," Jason said.

Dick gave Jazmin a bear hug. "Glad you're feeling better, Jazzie!" Dick said.

"Thanks for everything, Dick!" Jazmin said happily. Dick got into his truck with a wave.

Jason took the surfboard from his sister. "Let me carry this for you," Jason said. They went up the steps and inside. Jason set the board against the wall in the foyer. Jazmin unzipped her wetsuit and stepped out of it. She had one a black one piece bathing suit underneath.

"That was really so amazing, Jay! I can't even explain it!" Jazmin said enthusiastically.

"I'm glad to see you so animated. Eli is really worried about you," Jason shared.

Jazmin's smile wavered. "Yeah, well, he didn't take it well when I told him that I needed some space," she said.

"Well, women don't usually ask for space when they're madly in love. And I was under the impression that you were," Jason pointed out.

"I do love Eli. More than ever. That's not what this is about," Jazmin said. "Are you thirsty? I'm wiped out. Let's move to the kitchen. I need liquids."

Jason followed her into the kitchen where she got a bottle of cold water out of the refrigerator. After she took a long drink, she said, "Eli is intense. Normally, I love that. But we had a bit of a scare last week."

"He told me about the pregnancy tests," Jason said. "Why didn't you call me? You know I'm never too busy for you."

"I know that! But I need to quit relying so much on you. For the longest time, you and I only had each other. Now, however, we have other people in our life who care about us. We both have friends we can trust. You are serious about a girl for the first time, and I have actual girlfriends. So it's time for me to quit running to you every time I freak out about something," Jazmin said.

"And that's all that's going on? Just a little freak out? Nothing more?" Jason said, looking intently at her.

"I'm okay, Jay," Jazmin said without directly answering.

"So what about Eli? Are you really so upset with him that you want to break up with him?" Jason inquired.

"I don't want to break up. Not really. And he hasn't done anything. He's pretty perfect actually," Jazmin said. "But we got really serious really fast. The pregnancy scare made me realize that I need to step back a bit. I just need some breathing room. That's all. Eli just doesn't understand."

"Well, I'll try to talk to him," Jason said. He felt reassured. His sister seemed fine. Just like he thought.

"Please, do," she said. "And tell Daisy I'm sorry for her loss."

"You know it'd be a nice gesture if you called her yourself or sent flowers," Jason suggested.

"Okay. I can do that," she said. "Call me when you make it to Puerto Rico. Are you going to tell Dad?"

"I'll be back Sunday night, so why bother him?" Jason said with a rueful grin.

"Well, I won't rat you out, but you better hope the plane doesn't crash 'cause Dad'll kill you!" Jazmin teased.

Jason laughed and gave her a hug before leaving. Jazmin felt a twinge of guilt for once again misleading her brother. However, she wasn't lying exactly because she really was feeling better. She just needed some space. Time to get her head on straight.

*******_A Few Hours Later_******

Veronica decided to stop by and talk to Jazmin on her way home from her last class. She was determined to get to the bottom of what was really going on with Jazmin. She got out of her car and was about to head up the steps to the front door when she was stopped by a sharp pain in her stomach. Her hand went to her stomach, but it was gone as quickly as it came. Frowning, she went up the steps and rang the doorbell.

Jazmin opened the door. "Hello, Veronica. Come in," Jazmin said with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I am more concerned with how you are," Veronica said pointedly.

"Have a seat," Jazmin said, gesturing to the couch. She sat down and turned her body slightly to face Veronica. "I'm fine. Dick and I went surfing today. It was a lot of fun." She gave Veronica an easy smile.

"That's good. But I want to know what would make you want to break up with Weevil?" Veronica asked. "And don't give me that line about needing space that you gave him." Another sharp pain hit her stomach. Jazmin noticed her wincing.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm okay. I want to know what's been going on with you the past two weeks? Something was up even before I put the idea in your head that you were pregnant," Veronica said. "I'm sorry about that, by the way."

"It's okay. That did freak me out. It made me realize that things were moving too fast with me and Eli," Jazmin said, dissembling.

"I don't believe that! I know all about a pregnancy scare, and if it's with the man you love, it's not that scary! ," Veronica insisted. "We're not I high school or living with our parents." When Jazmin was unable to meet her gaze, a thought occurred to her. "Oh my God! That's it! You weren't sure Weevil was the father!" She got to her feet in disbelief and another stabbing pain hit her, doubling her over.

Jazmin forgot about Veronica's remark as concern for her friend propelled her to her feet. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I started having some sharp pains when I got out of the car," Veronica admitted.

"Go to the bathroom and check to see if you are bleeding," Jazmin ordered, pushing her toward the downstairs bathroom.

Two minutes later, Veronica came out of the bathroom, her face white. "I'm spotting," she shared. "What does that mean? Am I miscarrying?"

"Let's get you to the hospital and find out," Jazmin said. She grabbed her purse and made Veronica give her the car keys. She drove Veronica's car straight to the ER.

Veronica called Logan and got his voicemail. She left a message. "Logan, call me back. Something's wrong. I'm having some pain. Jazmin's taking me to the hospital." Then she called Mac and got her voicemail. She left a short message. Then she called Wallace, who picked up. They were pulling into the hospital as she explained what was going on. He said he'd call their parents and meet her there soon.

Veronica hung up the phone, feeling like everything was moving in slow motion. Jazmin told the nurses what was happening and was given papers to fill out. Jazmin tried to ask her questions, but it was like her voice was far away. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Finally, Jazmin grabbed Veronica's purse and located her insurance card. She gave the papers to the nurse. "She needs to see a doctor right away," Jazmin said urgently.

"She will as soon as possible," the nurse said with an unconcerned glance.

Jazmin didn't appreciate her attitude but went back to Veronica's side. "How are you feeling? It's going to be a few minutes," Jazmin said.

"I'm okay. The pain stopped," Veronica said, unclenching her fists. Maybe it was nothing. Then an agonizing pain ripped through her, making her cry out.

Jazmin got to her feet. "She needs a doctor right now!" Jazmin yelled angrily. Finally, the nurse came out with a wheelchair, and they helped Veronica in it as she began to cry.

"I don't want to lose my baby, Jazmin! Where's Logan? I need Logan? Why isn't he here?" Veronica demanded, her fear visible.

Jazmin felt helpless in the face of Veronica's fear. She grabbed her friend's hand, but the nurse wouldn't let Jazmin go with her. "I'll call Logan. Don't worry!" Jazmin told her as Veronica was wheeled through the double doors. She got out her phone and dialed Logan's number. It went straight to voicemail. She left a message. "Logan, please come to the ER. I think Veronica may be trying to have a miscarriage," she said into the voicemail. She hung up feeling sick. She knew exactly how Veronica was feeling right now. The physical pain, the fear, and the anguish were all things Jazmin had once felt. She said a silent prayer that things would turn out differently for Veronica.

Keith arrived a few minutes later, dressed in his sheriff's uniform. "Where's Veronica?" he asked in concern.

"They took her back a few minutes ago. They wouldn't let me go with her," Jazmin said, upset.

He nodded and went through the double doors. Not much longer after he arrived, Wallace and Dick showed up. Both look worried. "Where is she? Is she okay?" Wallace asked Jazmin.

"I don't know. They just took her back five minutes or so ago," Jazmin said. "I can't get a hold of Logan."

"He went to Portland on business," Dick shared. "It's just a day trip. He should be back tonight."

"It may be too late then," Jazmin said grimly.

"What do you mean? Is she going to lose the baby?" Dick asked, a frightened look on his face.

Jazmin looked at Dick. She didn't know what to say. Instead of answering, she leaned against him. His arm went around her shoulders, hugging her. The three friends looked at each other, scared for their friend.

******_To Be Continued_******

_I won't leave you in suspense for long. More soon!_


	17. Chapter 17

**I decided to end the suspense. **

Chapter 17: Not Meant to Be

******_At Neptune Memorial Hospital******_

For the second time in a week and the third time in a month or so, Veronica found herself in the emergency room in fear of losing her baby. However, the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks dried up as the doctor's voice droned on. Her sorrow was replaced with outrage.

"We don't always know why these things happen, Miss Mars. Sometimes it's just not meant to be," the ER doctor was saying.

"How could you say my baby wasn't meant to be?" Veronica demanded hotly. "I followed the doctor's orders! I just got an ultrasound last week and everything was fine!"

"Chromosome abnormalities are often the cause of most miscarriages. Unfortunately, they can't be detected by an ultrasound," the doctor replied.

"Saturday night I was knocked into a corner table and hit my stomach. I came to the ER but was fine. The doctor said I was fine. But now two days later, my baby is dead? I don't understand!" Veronica exclaimed, her upset obvious.

The doctor gave her a sympathetic look. "It's doubtful the hit to your stomach had any effect on your pregnancy," he said.

"Doubtful but not certain?" Veronica asked pointedly.

"Honestly, Miss Mars, we can't always be certain. I've seen women go through extreme physical trauma and not miscarry while other perfectly healthy women who don't work or do anything stressful or extreme do. I do know that you have no physical reason that will prevent you from getting pregnant again and carrying another baby to term," the doctor said.

Veronica wanted to scream at the man that she didn't want another baby. She wanted the one she had had inside of her. The one she believed was a boy and Logan believed was a girl. "Could you tell if it was a boy or girl?" Veronica inquired, suddenly needing to know.

"Normally, the sex organs aren't clear until the sixteenth week, but you can request a chromosomal study done of the tissue. Your insurance won't pay for it though," the doctor said.

"I _need_ to know! Can I find out today? Money is no object," Veronica asked, pleading. For once, she didn't hesitate to use Logan's money that was at her disposal.

"I can have them run a DNA test to determine the gender if it's that important to you," the doctor said reluctantly.

"It is," she said flatly.

Her dad came into the room. "Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked, going to her side and hugging her.

The doctor slipped out.

"My baby is gone, Daddy! There wasn't enough of him left to tell me for sure if it was a boy," she said grimly. "We were going to name him Eli Keith Echolls or Keith Eli Echolls. We couldn't agree." She gave him a bittersweet smile at the memory.

Keith fought back his own tears at the news. He and Alicia were so excited at the prospect of a baby. "They'll be other babies, Veronica," he said, taking her hand in his.

"Not that one," she said. Her eyes are dry and unfocused as if she was in shock.

"I know, sweetheart. I know," her dad said, hugging her tightly. "Where's Logan?"

"He went on a short trip to Portland for work. I couldn't get a hold of him," she replied. God, how she wished he was here. She needed him here. Only he could truly understand what the loss meant to her.

A nurse came in. "Here are the follow-up care instructions," she said, handing Veronica some papers. "You can be discharged. The doctor said you need to make an appointment to see your regular doctor in a few days."

"I can leave just like that? I lost my baby and it's no big deal? Just send me on my merry way?" Veronica asked, a deep-seated rage filled her at the ease of her loss, the cold lack of ceremony from the hospital staff.

The nurse looked uncomfortable at her sudden attack and squeaked out, "I'm sorry."

"Veronica, it's not her fault," her dad said. The nurse looked grateful for his intervention and fled.

"How can it be over?" Veronica demanded. "I just don't understand!"

Keith pulled her into his arms, at a complete loss. For the first time in a long time, he wished her mother was here. He couldn't fully understand what she was feeling and hated his impotence. Finally, he pulled back and looked at her. She still wasn't crying but seemed hollow-eyed. Her eyes looked too much like victims of trauma that he saw when on the job. He hated to see that look in her eyes. "Do you need help changing?" Keith asked. When she shook her head, he said, "I'll be in the waiting room."

When he got to the waiting room, most of her friends were there. Dick, Wallace, Mac, and Duncan had arrived and were anxiously awaiting news. They all got to their feet when Keith appeared. He sadly shook his head. "She lost the baby," he said softly.

"Oh no!" Jazmin gasped, feeling the pain of the loss almost as if it was her own. She had lived the horror of this moment before.

"What do you mean the baby's gone?" Wallace asked in confusion. "How? Why? She was just here Sunday night and everything was fine."

"These things happen. We don't always know why. Sometimes there's something wrong with the fetus that ultrasounds can't pick up on," Keith said.

"Bullshit! That can't be all!" Dick protested angrily. "Miscarriages don't just happen! Everything happens for a reason." He looked at Mac. "Don't you say that all the time? Everything happens for a reason? Why would the baby be dead? What _reason_ would there be?"

Mac put her arm around him. "We can't always know the why, Dick," she said softly, her eyes full of sadness. She had been with Veronica on the first doctor appointment. She had been there when Veronica finally became excited and not scared about the pregnancy. Logan and Veronica were so excited, especially Logan. "We've got to get a hold of Logan."

"And tell him what? That his baby is dead? Do you want to make that phone call?" Dick said accusingly.

"I'll call him," Duncan said, stepping away and getting out his phone.

"This is Madison's fault!" Dick declared bitterly. "She did this! She killed Ronnie's baby!"

"Dick, that's not true!" Mac protested.

"What do you mean?" Keith asked.

"Saturday at Lauren's birthday party Madison attack Veronica. First, she slapped her a few times. When Ronnie got tired of being slapped, she hauled off and decked her, breaking her nose. Then Madison shoved her into a corner table. She hit her stomach!" Dick recalled angrily.

"I wasn't told about this," Keith said grimly. His daughter still had a bad habit of not telling him things sometimes.

"She went to the ER and was fine. I don't even think there was a bruise. A hit to the stomach wouldn't have hurt the baby," Mac said.

"Well, it couldn't have help! And now there is no baby!" Dick yelled with uncharacteristic bitterness.

"Saying that kind of thing won't help Veronica," Keith said, wisely foreseeing the problems that could potentially unfold.

A woeful looking Veronica came through the double doors. Her friends immediately surrounded her. She seemed to be in shock, dry-eyed but devastated. "Thanks, Jazmin for everything," Veronica said, squeezing her hand.

"I'm sorry it wasn't enough," Jazmin said, tears filling her eyes. She gave Veronica a hug.

Duncan stepped back to the group. "I keep getting Logan's voicemail," Duncan said. "Are you okay?" he asked Veronica in concern.

"No, my baby's dead," she said harshly. Duncan winced. He pulled her in for a hug. She let him but didn't really return the embrace. When he moved back, she said, "I just want to go home."

"I'll take her," Dick said quickly, needing to do something to help.

"I'll drop Jazmin off at the house and come join you," Mac told Dick.

Jazmin wanted so badly to have Eli with her. She needed his reassuring presence. She couldn't stop herself from calling him.

Eli was relieved when Jazmin's name appeared on his phone. He answered, "Hey, babe."

"Hi," Jazmin said, turning away from her friends for a bit of privacy.

"I'm so happy you called me," Eli said.

"I'm at the hospital," Jazmin said.

"What? Are you okay? I'll be right there!" Eli exclaimed.

"No, no, I'm fine!" Jazmin quickly assured him. "I was with Veronica earlier and she started having stomach pains, so I brought her here."

"Oh," Eli replied, not sure if that was better. "Is she okay?"

"No, she miscarried," Jazmin shared.

"Seriously?" Eli asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's pretty awful. Logan's out of town. He went to Portland on business," Jazmin said.

Eli knew exactly what the business was and felt bad for both of them. However, he knew how traumatic this was for Jazmin, too. "How are you doing? I know this can't be easy for you," he said.

"It's not," she said. She turned and looked at her friends that were trying to support Veronica. They all looked sad and helpless. No one could really say or do anything to make her feel better. The impotence of that was hard on everyone. "I just feel so sad for Veronica and Logan. They were so excited. My pregnancy was never a good thing. Not like Veronica's. My loss was horrible, but it probably was for the best. That gave me comfort. I wouldn't have to be tied to Joseph for the rest of my life. However, Veronica won't have such comfort."

Eli wanted very badly to see Jazmin right now and to touch her. "Princess, can I come pick you up?" he asked.

"No, Mac's going to take me home," she said.

"But I want to hold you. I _need_ to hold you when you're upset," Eli said, trying to hold back his frustration, to get through to her.

Jazmin squeezed her eyes at the sudden tears. She wanted him to hold her, too. So very badly. She took a deep breath, strengthening her resolve. She couldn't weaken yet. She had to be strong. "I'm okay. Thanks though," she said.

Eli was silent in the face of her rebuff. "I can't come see you?" he asked quietly.

"Just give me some time. Please," she begged, wanting him to understand but not knowing how to make it clear.

"Fine," he said, a harsh note in his voice. Her rejection hurt, and he couldn't hide it. "I guess there's nothing more to say."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Yeah, me, too," he said, hanging up.

Jazmin looked down at her silent phone, lost in reverie. "Are you ready?" Mac asked her. She put away her phone and nodded.

******_At the Beach House******_

Trina had rushed home as soon as she was able. She found Veronica curled up on the couch staring vacantly at the television. "Oh, Veronica, I'm so sorry!" she gushed as she came into the room. She handed Dick the baby. She put her hand on Veronica's leg.

"Yeah," Veronica said. Everyone was sorry. Everyone felt bad. She knew that, but it didn't help. She felt empty inside. She kept putting her hand on her stomach, unwilling to believe there was no life inside there.

"Would you like to hold Richie? I know he always makes you feel better," Trina suggested.

Dick held up Richie, who was kicking and smiling, or what they considered a smile. He was too young to fully smile, but his kicking and waving of his hands usually indicated happiness. Veronica looked at him with longing a moment then turned away. Her baby was dead. Looking at Richie reminded her of what she no longer had, what she may never have. "No. Not now," she said quietly.

"Where's my brother?" Trina asked.

"In Portland still," Mac said. "He told me that he'd be on the seven o'clock flight back, so he'll be back tonight."

"Bad timing," Trina said with a frown.

"Yeah," Mac agreed. "We haven't been able to reach him. Just his voicemail. He must have his phone turned off."

"He's going to be upset that he wasn't here," Dick said. More than that, Dick knew his best friend was going to be devastated.

"Do you want some dinner?" Mac asked Veronica.

She shook her head.

"How about I go get you one of those chocolate shakes you like?" Dick suggested.

"Okay," Veronica said, knowing her friends needed to do something for her.

"I'll go with you and pick up some food for everyone. She may get hungry later," Mac said.

Dick gave Trina the baby. Trina held him against her chest, kissing his cheek. It wasn't fair. She hadn't even wanted her son, and he was perfectly healthy. Logan and Veronica had been so eager and excited. Now the baby was gone. Just like that. "Things really suck sometimes," she said to Veronica.

"Yea, they really do," Veronica said, looking at Richie with an anguished glance. She wanted to hold him very badly. But he wasn't her son, and she was too attached. Trina could decide at any moment to leave Neptune and take Richie with her. Veronica closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him. She couldn't bear to lose another baby.

Trina felt sad for Veronica and realized that Richie may be making her sadder. She would never get to hold her own baby. Trina felt a flash of guilt as she got up. Sometimes she hated being a mother even though she loved her son. How screwed up was that? And now Veronica wasn't going to be a mother. "You can try again, you know," she said, trying to console Veronica.

Veronica opened her eyes. "And what if that baby dies, too? Why would I put myself through that?" Veronica asked, a hint of anger in her gaze.

Trina stepped back, unprepared to answer. "Yeah, well, it's scary," was all she could come up with. "I'm going to go feed Richie." She got up and took Richie out of the room into the kitchen.

Veronica's cell phone rang. The number was not on her contact list. Frowning, Veronica answered it. It was the hospital. They gave her the answer she had been wanting. She hung up, wanting to cry but unable to. Now she knew what she lost. When Lilly died, it broke her heart. When her mom left, she had been devastated and then angry. When she and Logan broke up, she had been all of that and more. Now, however, she felt like she was lost in an abyss of pain. Relentless pain. Where was Logan? She needed him so much right now.

******_Neptune Airport_******

Logan got off the plane feeling satisfied with his day's work. Leanne was in a very good place, and Logan was confident that Veronica would soon be reconciled with her mother. Missing her, he turned on his phone to call her. He frowned when he saw that he had ten missed calls. Three of them were from Veronica, one from Jazmin, one from Keith, one from Duncan, one from Mac, and three from Dick. Concerned he listened to his voicemail. In shock, he listened as the missed day's events unfolded on the messages. Dick was angry and accusing at his absence. Keith and Wallace worried and concerned. Veronica's last message broke his heart.

"Logan, I need you. Why aren't you here?" Veronica's anguished cry rang in his ears as Logan hurried out of the airport and to his vehicle.

His mind raced as he tried to process the news of the miscarriage. He had only been gone twelve hours. How could their baby be gone? He felt sick at the sudden loss.

When he finally arrived home, Dick greeted him at the door, a look of sadness and anger on his face. "Dude, bad day to leave town! Did you get our messages?" Dick asked.

Logan nodded. "What happened?" he asked grimly. Dick filled him in on what had happened earlier that day.

"Nothing really happened. She was with Jazmin and started having pains. Jazzie took her to the ER," Dick explained.

"Yes, she called me. But stupid me had turned off my damn phone! I never turned it back on," Logan said in self-loathing.

"It wouldn't have changed anything," Dick said sadly. "You were still out of town."

"Yes, but I could've talked to Veronica at least!" Logan said harshly. "Where is she?"

"Dude, she's like a zombie. Not crying or yelling. She was just sitting on the couch for hours not moving. She finally went to bed," Dick shared. He was very relieved that Logan was here. He felt completely and utterly helpless.

Logan went to their room and found her in bed. She was asleep with the covers kicked off of her. She was curled on her side, her hands holding her stomach as if to protect what was no longer there. Logan stripped down to his boxers and crawled in beside her. She didn't stir. When he slipped his hands around her waist covering her hands, she finally awoke.

"It was a boy," she said quietly. She turned in his arms and faced him, a look of sorrow on her face. "I'm sorry, Logan. I lost our son," she said, her words coated in anguish, but her eyes were dry.

Logan's arm tightened around her, and he grabbed her hand with his other arm. He moved his head until his forehead was touching hers. Then he cried at the loss. He cried like he hadn't done since his mother died. Veronica closed her eyes, finally feeling anchored now that he was here to share in her sorrow. "Our son is dead," she said softly. Hearing the words aloud with him there next to her finally made it real. Now she could cry. Together they mourned the bitter loss of their son.

_*********Chapter End*******_

_I know you hate me. I'm sorry. I honestly never planned on them having the baby. I wanted them to go through something that would either bring them closer as a couple or drive them apart. Only someone who has known this loss can identify with what they're going through. Unfortunately, it is something that happens to a lot of woman. I hope you don't quit reading though! I have a plan to get them through it. I almost wavered in this storyline because they were so excited about the baby, and I know you all were, too. However, I really wanted to write a story that shows a true road to an epic love. One that is forged in fire. Please don't give up on this story! _


	18. Chapter 18

**If anyone feels jerked around with this sudden development, I apologize. I actually had originally planned in "Road to Epic" to have Veronica lose the baby in the car wreck and have it break them up for a time. But when I wrote that scene at the hospital, I realized that Logan loved her too much and the baby wasn't real to him yet so it wouldn't break them up. What would cause problems would be her unwillingness to share the news, so I went with that storyline and postponed the miscarriage. Then I resolved the Sorokin and had the engagement, and it was such a beautiful happy time that I decided to end the story and save my darker plans for another story. I also wasn't sure I'd have the nerve to go through with it because I, too, loved the picture I was painting of them having a baby.**

**However, I did warn you at the beginning it was a darker tale. I did so not to write the unexpected, but to challenge myself as a writer. I wanted to write a more grittier, grown-up tale. Rape and miscarriages, and break-ups are a part of life. I get tired of adultery tales, so I like to keep couples together as much as possible and have them work through obstacles. At least those that have been tested. New couples may break-up but if they are meant to be, they will find their way back together! I do have some good stuff a head for all the couples even in the midst of heartbreak. This story will pay off major for those that like to be moved and to have emotions pulled out of them. But it's not really a fluff tale. I will be moving all the characters into unchartered places to one degree or another. The plotlines will move quickly in the next few chapters. I hope you will be entertained. Thanks for all of those who continue to support me and this tale.**

**Sorry for the long author's note!**

Chapter 18: Numb

******_The next day_******

It was Tuesday afternoon, and Jason had stopped by Daisy's to drive her home to San Francisco. She gave him a tired smile. Jason kissed her cheek. "Hello, mi amore," Jason said.

She smiled at his Italian endearment. It made her melt every time. "Hey," she said.

Jason noticed the small bouquet of flowers. "Should I be jealous?" he asked with an arch of his brow.

She looked puzzled until she saw what he was looking at. "Oh, those are from your sister," Daisy said.

"Really?" Jason asked with a pleased smile.

"Yes, she sent me a very nice condolence for my loss," Daisy said, still surprised by Jazmin's unexpected kindness.

"And did you call and thank her?" Jason asked.

"Well, of course!" she said with a haughty look.

Jason pulled her close for a hug. "Thanks. You know how much she means to me. I hate that you two aren't close, but I'm happy that you're both trying," Jason said. "Are you ready to go?"

"It's still a little early. Didn't you need to stop by your work today?" Daisy asked.

"No, Nico's got it covered. But I thought maybe you may want to stop and see Veronica," Jason said.

"It's funny that you should mention Veronica. She hasn't called me at all," Daisy said with a frown. "I didn't notice at first, but Mac was over here and even Dick yesterday. Veronica's like the first girlfriend I made here at Hearst. It kind of hurts that she didn't even call."

Jason felt a stab of guilt. He had told Mac and his sister not to say anything to Daisy about what happened to Veronica or what had happened with Daisy to Veronica. She was so upset yesterday that Jason wanted to wait a few days. Now, however, he knew he had to tell her before she left. "Well, it's my fault. I'm sorry. You were just so upset, and I didn't want to make you more upset," Jason explained.

Daisy frowned. "What am I missing?" she asked.

"Monday afternoon Veronica had a miscarriage," Jason shared.

"What?" Daisy asked incredulous.

"She lost the baby," Jason said.

"And you didn't tell me!" Daisy yelled, slapping his arm in annoyance.

"You have enough to deal with. Same reason Dick and Mac didn't tell her about your cousin. She has enough to deal with," Jason said unapologetically.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "I'm not made of glass, you big lug! I can handle being there for my friend! She probably thinks I don't care like I was wondering about her!" Daisy said in outrage.

"She's probably not thinking about you at all, sweetie," Jason pointed out.

Daisy winced. "That is so awful! She was so excited. Logan even more so! How did this happen?" Daisy asked.

"No real reason. She was with Jazmin talking and then started having pains," Jason shared.

"Well, let's go see her before you drive me to my mom's," Daisy insisted.

"I figured you'd say that," Jason said. He grabbed her suitcase and carry-on bag.

"Next time don't keep important things from me because you think it's for my own good!" Daisy scolded as they went out the door. "I'm not Jazmin. Nor am I some little miss that must be protected."

Jason sighed. "I know. I'm sorry," he said in resignation.

A short time later they made it to Veronica and Logan's beach house. Jason and Daisy both went in to offer their condolences. Dick answered the door. Logan and Mac were in the living room. Mac got up and gave Daisy a hug. "When will you be back?" Mac asked her.

"Late Sunday night. I'm going to have to miss some classes, but if I bring them a funeral program, my professors will excuse my absence. I'll have just enough time to make up the work before Thanksgiving break starts," Daisy said. She looked at Logan who was sitting somberly.

Jason sat down next to him. "How are you doing?" Jason asked.

Logan shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I still can't believe it happened," he admitted.

"Where's Veronica?" Daisy asked.

"She's outside on the patio," Mac said. "She's not really okay."

"Of course, she's not! It'll be awhile before she is okay," Daisy said. She went to the patio. Veronica was sitting in a lounge chair staring out at the water. "Hey."

Veronica turned and looked up at her. "Hi," she said, giving Daisy a wan smile.

"Jason just now told me about what happened or I would've called," Daisy explained. "We were on the way to my house. I'm flying with my mom to Puerto Rico in the morning. A close cousin of mine died."

Veronica winced in sympathy. "I'm really sorry," she said. She reached out and grabbed Daisy's hand for a sympathetic squeeze.

"Me, too," Daisy said. "For both of us. What happened? If you don't mind talking about it."

"I'm not sure. I started having pains yesterday afternoon when I was talking to Jazmin. She took me to the ER. I miscarried while I was there. The doctor says this happens sometimes," Veronica said grimly.

"Yeah, it does," Daisy said, nodding.

"But I was knocked around Saturday night by Madison Sinclair," Veronica shared.

"What? She laid hands on you?" Daisy asked in disbelief.

"She slapped me twice. I broke her nose. Then she shoved me into a corner table. I hit my stomach," Veronica recalled. "We went to the ER and it seemed like I was fine."

"But now you're baby is gone, so I'd be thinking that may have something to do with it, too," Daisy said knowingly.

"I feel numb, but I know once I wrap my mind around the fact that my baby is gone, the rage will kick in," Veronica said.

"When I get back from my cousin's funeral, I'll need something to keep my mind off her death, so count me in if you need help making the chica pay," Daisy offered.

Veronica gave her a small smile. "I just might. Thanks," Veronica said.

"Well, I gotta get going, so I'll see you soon. Take care of yourself, mi amiga," Daisy said. She bent down and kissed Veronica on the cheek and then turned to leave.

Veronica watched her leave. Then she turned back to stare out at the water, hoping it would sooth her.

Inside, Mac walked Jason and Daisy out. Logan glumly watched them leave.

When Mac returned, she asked Logan, "So what exactly were you doing in Portland yesterday?"

"Yeah, dude, why don't I know about a new client?" Dick asked.

Logan looked a bit guilty. "I didn't go to see a client. I had Weevil track down Veronica's mother," he shared.

Dick and Mac were both surprised by his announcement. "No way!" Dick said in disbelief.

"Does Veronica know?" Mac asked in concern.

Logan shook his head. "No. Not yet. I wanted to see how Leanne was before telling Veronica. If she's still drinking. Where her head is. Stuff like that," he shared.

"And is she?" Mac inquired.

"No. She's actually doing really well. She said that when I got shot a year ago it motivated her to get sober. Knowing Veronica could've been killed really shook her," Logan said.

"So is she gonna come home?" Dick asked.

"I told her Veronica was about to have a baby," Logan said, feeling sick. "Now I have to call her and tell her there's no baby."

"It doesn't mean Veronica doesn't still need her mother," Mac said.

"Ronnie never talks about her mom. She probably doesn't even miss her. I don't miss mine," Dick said with a shrug.

"You were never close to your mom. Veronica was. Her mother didn't start spiraling downward until Lilly died and her dad lost his job," Logan said.

"Lilly's death really messed up everyone," Dick said with a sigh.

"So should I tell Veronica now? Do you think it will make things worse or better?" Logan asked.

"Dude, haven't you learned anything yet?" Dick asked incredulous.

"Tell her," Mac said. "You can't have a marriage if one person is doing things behind the other's back and keeping things from the other."

"It wasn't like that!" Logan protested, offended. "I wasn't trying to be sneaky. I just figured if her mom was still a mess she'd never have to know about it."

"Well, I think it'll do her some good to know her mom is in a good place and wants to reconnect," Mac said.

Logan nodded and didn't say anything more. Dick frowned at Mac. He didn't know what to say to make Logan feel better. Mac understood what Dick was feeling and reached over and took his hand. They sat in silence a few minutes.

Finally, Logan said to Dick, "I just don't understand how this happened. Sunday night the doctor said she was fine."

"Well, can't there be like a delay or something? Like the baby is sick but not sick enough to..ah..you know-not make it?" Dick speculated.

"I'm sure getting hit in the stomach couldn't have done the baby any good," Logan said angrily.

Mac frowned at the remark. "You know doctors and the law refer to the unborn as fetuses for a reason. They're not developed enough to live without the mother. They're not really a baby in the first trimester. Veronica wasn't quite at the fourth month yet. And ultrasounds can't always detect when something's wrong," Mac explained.

"That's kind of cold, Mackie," Dick said in displeasure.

"I'm not being cold. Just scientific," Mac said.

"Madison slapped Veronica twice _and _shoved her hard into a table knowing she's pregnant!" Logan said in growing anger. "Everyone knows that pregnant women are fragile. Veronica was already in a car wreck. Maybe this second assault was just too much for the baby."

"Madison was drunk and wasn't thinking. Veronica's not really showing. She probably forgot Veronica was pregnant," Mac defended.

"Like it would've stopped her if she was reminded!" Dick said with a snort. "I know Maddie better than anyone. When she's mad, she doesn't think about anything but hurting her target."

"That may be true, but Madison didn't cause the miscarriage. Do your own research. You can't miscarry by knocking into something. There had to have been something wrong with the fetus," Mac insisted.

Veronica was at the patio door listening to Mac in growing anger. Finally, she heard enough and moved into their line of sight. "There wasn't anything wrong with my baby!" Veronica said hotly. "I can't believe you would sit here and both minimize my child and defend Madison Sinclair!"

Mac winced at Veronica's attack. "I'm sorry, Veronica. I didn't mean to minimize your loss," Mac assured her.

"But you did mean to defend Madison? You think she wasn't responsible for what happened?" Veronica asked in disbelief.

"I looked it up and the baby is well protected in the womb. And the doctor told you that it was probably a chromosomal imbalance," Mac said.

"That's bullshit! He said it _usually_ was and that it was _doubtful_ getting hit in the stomach affected the baby! Not certain!" Veronica said heatedly. "My baby is gone just two days later and you want to sit here and say Madison had nothing to do with it? You want to defend her in my house?" All the numbness she had been feeling disappeared in the wake of her sudden anger.

"I don't want to defend her. I just don't want her being blamed for something that isn't anyone's fault because it does no one any good," Mac said quietly. "I know you, Veronica. I know that you always got to look for the bad guy. There's always got to be someone to blame. But it's not always like that. Sometimes things just happen. Things we can't prevent or control. I'm sorry this happened, but I don't want you to focus on Madison. Focus on healing and moving past this."

"It just happened, Mac. Maybe you can move on like that, but I'm not made that way," Veronica said grimly. "I know that my baby was _fine_ until I went to your sister's party. I was attacked and two days later, my _baby _is dead! It wasn't a fetus. It was my _son_! The son I will never get to hold! The son I will never get to name! If you're really my friend, you won't sit in my house and defend that woman! Not ever!"

Mac sat there in shock as Veronica unleashed her anger. She wanted to cry. Never had Veronica used her legendary tongue lashing abilities on her. Mac had just wanted to offer comfort. She didn't think wasting time and energy blaming Madison, who really wasn't responsible, would help anyone. Now Veronica was yelling at her. She got up, trying to hold back the tears and headed for the front door.

Dick looked dismayed at the sudden fight. Veronica and Mac not only never fought, but they never even disagreed. Logan had gotten up and pulled Veronica against him for a hug. Dick got up to chase after Mac. He followed her outside. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand. "Ronnie's just upset. Give her time," Dick said.

"Madison isn't to blame for Veronica's miscarriage, Dick," Mac said flatly, brushing at her tears.

"You can't know that!" Dick replied.

"Actually, I can. Science is on my side. If Madison's shove had hurt the baby, Veronica would've started bleeding right away or later that night. She didn't. She was fine all day Monday and most of yesterday," Mac said.

"Well, Jazmin lost a baby by a fall. Babies don't just die," Dick said.

"Babies don't. But fetuses do. Women miscarry all the time. Most never know why. Normally miscarriages are just nature's way of preventing deformations and other sicknesses that are developing in the baby," Mac explained. "Madison didn't cause this, Dick. I'm certain. Am I supposed to say nothing and let Veronica start taking her pain and anger out on Madison?"

"What do we care what happens to Maddie?" Dick asked.

"Dick, I have to care! You know that! She's Lauren's sister!" Mac reminded him.

"Well, if it makes Veronica feel better to have someone to blame, what does it matter? Isn't making her feel better the most important thing anyway?" Dick wondered.

"It matters, Dick, because I know Veronica. She won't stop at blame," Mac said knowingly.

*****_Later That Night******_

Logan crawled into bed next to Veronica. He put his arm around her, and she moved to lay her head down on his chest. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Right now? I feel numb. The anger I felt early at Mac is gone. Now I just feel numb again. I can't even cry anymore," Veronica said morosely.

"It's going to take time," Logan said.

Veronica sat up and looked at him. "Do you think this is my fault?" she asked in a small voice.

Logan's eyes widened in surprise at her question. "Of course not!" he exclaimed.

"When I first found out I was pregnant, I freaked. I didn't think it was the right time," Veronica reminded him. "Maybe the baby felt unwanted. And I pissed off the guy who ran me over. Maybe this is my fault."

"This is _not_ your fault! If anyone's to blame, it's Madison. Knocking you around when you're pregnant. We should sue. The Sinclairs raised a vindictive monster and should pay!" Logan said in disgust.

"Well, Lauren and Mac are both Sinclairs, and they're both fine. Madison just thinks she's better than everyone. But I think it's about time she learns that she's not," Veronica said grimly.

"I agree," Logan said. The girl had caused him too many problems over the years. He was quite sick of her.

"I think she needs to feel pain. Pain is an effective way to teach a bitch. And Madison is the biggest bitch I know," Veronica said. She moved and grabbed her phone off the night stand.

"Who are you calling?" Logan asked.

"Leo," Veronica replied.

"Deputy Leo? Who you dated?" Logan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Veronica smirked. "Yep!" she replied. She was going to make Madison's life miserable. "Leo will be just the one to help us start teaching Madison some humility."

Logan grinned malevolently as he figured out what his devious woman was going to ask of the young deputy.

******_Chapter End*******_

_Now you will start reading about some payback! You will really enjoy the next chapter! I promise!_

_It's up to you to decide if Madison is truly to blame. I wrote this chapter using Mac as the voice of reason. If you research it, you will find pretty much what Mac says. However, just the other day I saw a story on the news about a pregnant woman who lost her baby by getting punched in the stomach. I still say, though, if Madison was ultimately to blame, she would've lost the baby the night it happened. But in their grief, Veronica and Logan won't be thinking rationally on the subject. Before you get mad at Mac for defending Madison, remember the closer Mac gets to her sister Lauren, the more Madison will be a part of her life. If Madison had vindictively set out to cause a miscarriage, Mac would not be defending her. So consider that before yelling at me in your reviews! :) _


	19. Chapter 19

**Since I had over 20 of you take time to review the last chapter, I decided to post the next chapter a bit earlier than normal. I really appreciate it! **

**For those who may think or wonder if I'll ever have happy times again, I think this chapter should answer that to some degree.**

Chapter 19: The Bitch is Back Again

*****_Wednesday Morning*****_

Parker was heading to the field house after her early morning soccer practice. Her mind was full of the events of the past few days. Sunday morning's run-in with Duncan had just been the beginning of the bad things that occurred. Besides the horrible news of Veronica's miscarriage, she had failed her quiz on Monday morning in her Business Ethics class because she'd been up all night obsessing over Duncan and Piz. The look on Duncan's face when he saw that Piz had stayed the night haunted her. She was happy that Piz was back with her. However, she missed Duncan, and the guilt she felt for missing him was eating at her. If she loved Piz like she thought she did, why did she feel so awful over Duncan?

She was looking down contemplating that when she hit a hard body. "Oof!" she grunted as she slammed into someone's chest. Embarrassed at her clumsiness (she just finished cheerleading practice for goodness sakes!), she mumbled a, "Sorry!"

The chest she'd ran into belonged to the man she was thinking so hard about. Heading to the field for soccer practice, Duncan had been looking down at his cell phone reading the text message Dick had sent. Veronica was upset with Mac over Madison. Frowning as he read, he hadn't noticed anyone walking, so he dropped his phone when the girl hit him. When the girl apologized, he recognized the voice and looked up. "Parker?" he asked in surprise as he was picking up his cell phone off the ground.

"Oh, hi, Duncan," she said, giving him an uncharacteristic shy smile.

The anger he felt for her just a few days ago was gone. In its place was a deep longing. He missed her so much. Why didn't she want him? "Hey," he said quietly.

"Sorry. I wasn't watching were I was going," Parker said with a rueful smile.

"Yeah, me either," Duncan admitted.

They stared at one another a moment, each wanting to say something but neither knowing how to get started. Parker decided to try once again to get him to accept her overture. "Duncan, please don't hate me," she begged softly.

Duncan put his phone in his pocket and looked closely at her. Her eyes were pleading with him. He could see her hurt. It bothered him. Duncan reached out and put his hand on her cheek. "I could never hate you," he said honestly. "I miss you," he admitted.

Parker felt her eyes fill with tears. "I miss you, too," she said. She reached up and put her hand on top of his for a moment. "I'm sorry," she said as she stepped back. They stood there staring at one another a minute longer. Finally, Parker lifted her hand and gave a small wave. Then she walked away.

Duncan turned and watched her leave, his heart racing over their too brief encounter. He tried to push away the bitterness at her loss. Then he could imagine his sister Lilly saying, _What is wrong with you, Donut? No brother of mine would just let her get away without a fight! _Lilly would've been disgusted at his ineptitude, his easy compliance with Parker's wishes. He had simply let her go. Just like he had done with Veronica. He had taken his mother's word that she was his sister and just walked away. Now Parker said she wanted to work things out with Piz, and he just did nothing. However, he really wanted her. More than he had ever wanted anyone, even Veronica. His dreams with Veronica were so far away that he could barely remember them anymore. All he could think about anymore was Parker. A life with Parker. His daughter laughing with Parker. That was the life he wanted. So badly. Lilly always went after anything and everything she wanted. Consequences be damned. For once, Duncan decided he was going to follow his late sister's not so stellar example. Lilly had lived more in her sixteen years than most did in a life time. The good things in life never came easy, and he knew that Parker was worth fighting for. Feeling emboldened for the first time, he headed to the soccer field with renewed energy.

******_At the Beach House******_

Veronica was getting dressed, prepared to face the day when Logan came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around him. He noticed she was up and getting ready.

"What are your plans for the day?" he asked as he rubbed a towel over his hair.

"I'm going to go to class," Veronica said.

Logan frowned. "Don't you think you should take another day and rest?" he suggested.

"Physically I feel fine. I just feel empty," Veronica said with a hollow look. "If I stay home, I'll just brood and get more depressed."

Logan nodded and grabbed a shirt out of his drawer. "If you're sure," he said reluctantly.

"Besides, if I stay home, I can't go to school and start making Madison's life miserable!" Veronica said with relish.

Logan snickered. He reached over and pulled her against his chest. "I do love your vindictive soul!" he exclaimed. He laid a loud smack on her lips. "I have the bail money in a jar on the dresser if you get busted."

Veronica grinned. He always knew what to say. "It may come to that!" she said.

He put on his shirt and slipped on a pair of jeans. He was debating on whether or not he should come clean about his trip to Portland. Finally, he decided to grab the bull by the horns. They'd been through so much already. Surely, this wouldn't break them. "Uh, snookums, I have a small confession to make," Logan said.

Veronica's gaze narrowed at his words. "Confession? What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, I didn't really go to Portland on business. The trip was personal," he confessed.

"Personal how?" she asked with a frown.

"Well, I got to thinking about how things were so good in our life and with the baby coming, you might need your mother here. So I tracked her down. She's living in the Portland area," Logan said, spitting it out. He tensely waited for her reaction.

"So you hunted down my mother when I specifically said I didn't want her in my life?" Veronica asked in disbelief at his revelation.

"You said it with your words but not with your heart," Logan said knowingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked crossly.

He reached out and took a hold of her hand. "It means, my little bobcat, that I know you better than you know yourself," he boasted.

"You should've talked to me first, Logan, before you went and spoke to my mother!" she scolded. She pulled her hand back and glared at him.

He lost his smirk. "I wanted to give you back your mother, Veronica. I know how much it hurts you that you don't have her because I know how much it hurts me that my mom is gone. The hole will never be filled. And I love you too much to let you have a hole in your heart that not even I can fill," Logan said frankly.

His words worked to smother the anger that had begun to build in her. He was right. Not having her mother in her life was a wound that never quite healed. As much as she loved Alicia, not even she could replace Leanne. At least the Leanne who had existed before her dad lost his job and they lost their house. "Well, there's no baby now, so your trip was for nothing," she said darkly.

Logan reached out and hugged her. "I know. I still can't believe it. And I'm so sorry," he said grimly. He pulled back and looked at her and vowed, "I promise if you'll let me, I'll give you a thousand sons!"

"A thousand? Are you nuts?" she asked her mouth open in shock at the suggestion.

Logan laughed at the look on her face. "Well, you know what I mean," he said sheepishly.

"I can't even think about that now!" Veronica said, holding up her hand.

Logan knew when not to push. "Okay. I understand. But our life isn't over," he said determinedly.

"A part of it is," she said sadly.

"I know," he agreed, not wanting to minimize their loss. "But you and I are still getting married in less than two months. We are still going to have an amazing life. With or without children."

"Do you mean that? You'd be happy with me if we never had kids?" she asked dubiously.

"You are my dream, Veronica. _You_ are my favorite thing. Children would just be a bonus," Logan said earnestly. He loved her and without her he had no life. Not one he'd be able to bear anyway.

Veronica's eyes filled with tears at his heartfelt words. "God, how do you do it?" she asked in amazement. "I should want to throttle you for sneaking behind my back and tracking down my mother-and I'm going to kill Weevil, by the way."

"Weevil? I know not of whom you speak!" Logan denied loftily.

Veronica shook her head at him, fighting a smile. She would not encourage him. He had to learn that this wasn't acceptable behavior. "I should make you suffer for doing something I specifically told you not to do!" she insisted. She wiped the tears from her eyes. She was done crying. She had cried an ocean of tears since she became pregnant.

"Specifically? I don't recall that. You said _you_ weren't interested in finding her. You never forbade me for doing it for you!" he clarified with a smug grin.

Veronica's mouth fell open in outrage at his semantics. "You are so incorrigible!" she complained.

He grinned unapologetic. "You already took my ring. There's no take backs, so you're stuck with me!" he informed her with an arrogant, self-satisfied expression.

"Oh, I am, am I? Are you sure about that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "This town has a few good pawn shops!"

"Yep, I'm sure! I'm it for you!" he said with a confident nod. "No hocking necessary!"

She shook her head, giving up with a laugh. "Okay, you win! I guess I'll keep you. Only 'cause no one else would put up with your high handedness!" she said. Then she sighed and put her arms around his neck. "I do love you."

Logan grinned victoriously and gave her a thorough kiss. Then he pulled back smacking his lips. "Yum!"

She shoved him away with an amused chuckle. Then she looked over at the clock. "We're going to be late to Mythology. We'll talk more about this later. You can tell me all about your trip to Portland tonight." They heard Richie wailing. Veronica frowned. She hated it when he cried.

Logan sat down in the chair and put on his shoes. "Your mom told me that you almost getting shot last year motivated her to get sober," he shared.

"She was sober?" Veronica asked in surprise. Richie's crying distracting her.

"Yes, she was. She is," Logan said.

Richie was still crying. "God, why does Trina let him cry like that?" Veronica said crossly.

"She read in one of those books Mac gave her that it's not good to always pick up a crying baby. Self-soothing or something like that," Logan said.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "He's not even two months old! How's he going to self-sooth?" she asked.

"Maybe he's crying because he misses his Aunt Veronica," Logan said pointedly. Veronica had yet to go near the baby since she'd lost hers. Although two days wasn't long, it was for her. She spent nearly every free minute she had at home holding Richie and playing with him.

A haunted look appeared in Veronica's face. "I can't, Logan. I can't even look at him," she confessed. "It hurts too much to be reminded of what I won't have."

Logan got up and put his hands on her shoulders. "You will have it. I promise," he vowed. "It's too soon to talk about it now. I understand. But you will be a mother someday. I know it." He sealed his promise with a kiss.

*******_A Zip Code Away_*******

Madison pulled out of her driveway so quickly that her tires squealed. She was running late because her alarm didn't go off, and it took her too long to get ready. She tried in vain to cover up the bruising that was still visible around her nose and eyes where Veronica had decked her. It looked hideous. Although she had skipped class Monday and Tuesday, she could not bail on classes today because she has a quiz in her history class. She was barely passing and could not afford to miss the quiz.

There were lights flashing behind her. She groaned in irritation as she realized that she was being pulled over. Great! Just what she needed. Madison grabbed her insurance and driver's license. She looked in her side mirror and saw that it was a young deputy. Maybe she could flirt her way out of a ticket. Her parents had been so strict lately that she didn't think they'd handle a ticket very well at all.

"Ma'am, do you know how fast you were driving?" the young, handsome deputy asked her sternly.

She looked and read his name tag. Smiling as she handed him her information, she said, "Well, no, Officer Leo. I was recently in an accident and it takes me longer to get ready for class. I'm running late. I am so sorry!" She tried to look as contrite as possible.

Leo knew very well what "accident" Madison Sinclair was referring to. He had to work hard at keeping his face impassive. Veronica's baby was not going to be born thanks to this woman. It wasn't a problem at all to put an overly indulged 09er in her place, especially one that truly didn't know how to drive. "Ma'am you were going 45 miles in a 25 zone. This is a residential area. You cannot speed like that."

"It won't happen again, Officer," Madison said quickly.

"I hope not," Leo said grimly. He pulled out his ticket pad and began to write down her information.

Madison blinked in surprise. He wasn't going to let her go. "Are you writing me a warning?" she asked hopefully.

"No, ma'am. You should know better than to drive so fast in a neighborhood like this!" Leo said sternly.

"But you can't give me a ticket! This is my neighborhood!" she exclaimed in irritation.

"Miss Sinclair, it is my job to keep drivers responsible. Too many people drive around like a bat out of hell. Someone could get seriously hurt," Leo said, enjoying his role immensely.

"I can't believe you! Do you know who my father is? He donates yearly to the sheriff's department! You can't write me a ticket!" Madison said angrily.

"We appreciate his support, but I'm sure your father would not want you to drive irresponsibly," Leo said easily.

Madison gripped the steering wheel tightly. She knew that she needed to be quiet and just get to class but the injustice of this was too much! She always sped down her street. "I've always speed down this street! I've never gotten pulled over before! This is bullshit!" she exclaimed.

"Ma'am, you are behaving erratically. Are you under the influence of any narcotics?" Leo asked suspiciously. Veronica had encouraged him to take it as far has he could. The girl's hostility was giving him a lot of room to work.

"What? Narcotics? Of course not!" Madison said hotly. "I have pain pills for my broken nose, but that's it."

Leo fought a grin. This was the opening he needed. "So there's drugs in your car? You're admitting to the use of narcotics?" he asked.

"What? Are you insane? I never said that!" Madison said in outrage.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need you to step out of the car," Leo ordered.

"What?" Madison asked in dismay. "Why?"

"Miss Sinclair, you need to step out of the car," he ordered again in his sternest voice.

Madison gave an irritated sigh and complied with his order. When he proceeded to give her a pat down, she wanted to slap him. However, she restrained herself. The last thing she needed was to get arrested for assaulting an officer. "Where are the drugs you say you have?" he asked.

"I don't have drugs! I have a prescription for my nose!" she explained in outrage. "It's in my purse." When he waited silently, she reached in the car and gave him her purse.

Leo riffled through her purse and located the bottle of pain pills. Since her name was on them, he couldn't legally do anything. However, he had succeeded in delaying her. He handed her back her purse. He debated on whether or not to search the car and decided to save it for next time. "You can get back in the car," he said. He handed her the purse.

Madison glared at him and got into her car. "Can I go?" she asked impatiently. "I have a class."

"No. I have to write you a ticket," he said. He went back to his car and ran her plates. She had several unpaid parking tickets. He took ten minutes writing the ticket. When he made it back to her car, she was red faced she was so angry. Leo worked hard at keeping a straight face. Poor little princess was going to get in trouble at school. "Did you know you have some unpaid parking tickets? You might want to take care of those when you come in to pay this one."

Madison grabbed the ticket out of his hand and threw it in her passenger's side floor. "Can I go now?" she asked crossly.

"Yes. Drive safely," he said with an easy smile.

Madison had to remind herself to drive the speed limit until the cop was no longer visible. Then she sped to campus.

******_On Campus*******_

When Veronica and Logan arrived in their Mythology class, Dick and Mac were already there. Veronica sat in her normal seat next to Mac with Logan in the seat behind her. Mac looked warily at her. Veronica felt a flash of guilt at Mac's look. She turned to face her best friend.

"Mac, I am really sorry about yesterday. I'm not really rational where Madison is concerned. I haven't been since Shelly Pomrey's party," Veronica confessed.

Mac felt relieved at Veronica's words. She and Veronica never fought, so she wasn't dealing very well with Veronica's harsh words from the day before. "I'm sorry for making things worse," Mac said.

"It's not you. It's her. We'll have to agree to disagree," Veronica said.

Mac couldn't really even agree to that because she was leery of Veronica's plans where Madison was concerned. So she simply said, "I don't want us to argue over Madison."

"Me either," Veronica agreed, smiling. "Do you think Friday afternoon you can come with me to my doctor's appointment? Logan can't. He has a test in his last class."

"I told her I'd blow it off, but she won't let me," Logan complained.

Dick snickered, happy that Veronica had apologized to Mac. His world didn't make sense at all if the two of them were on the outs.

Mac smiled, pleased that Veronica wanted her to go with her. "Of course," she said.

Class started and they had no more time to talk.

A half an hour later, Veronica slipped out of the class. She had told Logan about her plans to leave early and wasn't too worried about missing the rest of class. The class served as a humanities credit, so it wasn't much of a challenge for her. She was determined to stake out Madison's classroom building and have a little chat, so she went and sat down on the bench directly across from the building she knew Madison was at. A phone call to Mac's ex Max had given her Madison's schedule. Max still owed her and he was more than happy to get started on another project for her. Veronica knew that for the first time, Mac couldn't be her go-to girl. Not at least where her plans with Madison were concerned.

She spotted Jazmin walking down the sidewalk. "Hey, Jazmin!" she called out. Jazmin turned at the sound of her name and smiled when she spotted Veronica. She changed direction and walked toward Veronica.

"Hey, you're already back on campus?" Jazmin asked, surprised to see her.

"Yeah, I got things to do and a person to punish," Veronica said with a grim smile.

Jazmin gave her a small smile. She really admired Veronica; she was so strong and capable. Jazmin wished she was more like her. "Well, I can understand that. You're so much stronger than me. I wasn't able to leave my bedroom for at least a week after I lost my baby," Jazmin admitted.

"You were sixteen, not even an adult. Your miscarriage was caused by the man you loved, so who could blame you?" Veronica pointed out. "I am highly motivated to get out of my bed. Revenge does that to a person."

"So how are you feeling?" Jazmin asked.

"Okay. A part of me still feels numb. The other part of me is seething. How could my baby be inside me one moment and not the next?" Veronica said, her eyes tormented.

Jazmin reached over and grabbed her hand for sympathy squeeze. "I felt the exact same way. And when I wasn't crying, I was in a rage, wanting to hurt Joseph. I think I broke pretty much everything in my room that week," Jazmin shared.

"Really? Did you get your revenge?" Veronica asked.

"Not really. I know Jason beat him up pretty badly though," Jazmin said.

"Not as satisfying as doing it yourself," Veronica said.

"No, it's not. That's why I really loved the birthday gift you gave me," Jazmin said, recalling with a grin the use of Veronica's tazer on Joseph over the summer.

Veronica laughed. "You have a bloodthirsty soul hidden in there somewhere!"

"Yes, I was quite pleased when Jason broke Joseph's arm and cracked a rib," Jazmin admitted.

"That's impressive," Veronica said. "I'm planning various ways to get back at Madison."

Jazmin looked sympathetic. "Well, I know how fragile first trimesters are. I was actually at the beginning of my second trimester when I lost my baby," she said.

Veronica nodded in understanding and then recalled the last conversation she'd had with Jazmin. She contemplated whether or not she wanted to bring it up. She did have other things on her plate. Then she decided that Weevil deserved the truth. "So are we going to talk about what happened before you had to take me to the hospital?" Veronica asked.

Jazmin winced. She had hoped desperately that Veronica would have forgotten their earlier talk. "I think you have enough going on right now and you don't need to worry about me," Jazmin said carefully.

"Jazmin, did you sleep with another guy? Is that's what's going on with you?" Veronica asked quietly.

Jazmin looked away. Veronica was forcing her hand. She didn't know Veronica as well as some did, but she had known her long enough to know that Veronica never gave up. This may be the only way to get her to back off. She looked back at Veronica and nodded. "Yes, there was another guy. Only once. It was a stupid, horrible mistake. One I wish so very much I could take back," she told her. If only she hadn't walked into David's room, naïvely thinking Wallace would be there shortly.

Veronica frowned in disappointment. "How could you do that to Weevil? I don't understand," Veronica said.

"Believe me, I hate myself for it. Thinking even for an instant that I could be pregnant was a nightmare. I loved Eli more than anything, and I don't deserve him. I've tried to tell him, but he won't listen," Jazmin said.

"Maybe you don't love him as much as you think you do," Veronica said, trying hard to not be judgmental. However, she detested cheaters more than just about anything.

Jazmin caught the note of censure in Veronica's voice and sighed in resignation. So this was how it would end. "Okay," she said, getting up. The last thing she was going to do was upset Veronica by trying to discuss this. It would be better to let her think what she was thinking and walk away. "I betrayed Eli. And I'll be the one to tell him. Please." She held Veronica's gaze until Veronica nodded. Then she turned and walked slowly away.

Veronica didn't have time to worry about Weevil and Jazmin since she spotted her prey coming out of class. There was still ten minutes left. She called out, "What happened Madison? Did you get kicked out of class?" she got up and walked toward Madison.

Madison stopped and glared at her. "No, I didn't. I was late for class. Very late thanks to one of your father's dumb deputies who had the nerve to pat me down like I was a druggie and give me a ticket! My professor wouldn't let me take the quiz. So I left," Madison said in disgust.

"Well, if you didn't drive a sports car and dress like a hooker, the cops probably wouldn't be so suspicious," Veronica said with a smirk.

Madison glared for a minute and then looked smug. "So I was really so sorry to hear about the miscarriage," she said with mock sincerity.

Veronica was stunned speechless a full minute at Madison's audacity. She gave her a hate filled look. "I wouldn't have lost my baby if you hadn't attacked me and knocked me into that table!" Veronica exclaimed.

"That's ridiculous! I barely touched you, but look at my face? I have to go in to public looking like a battered housewife!" Madison insisted.

"You slapped me twice for no good reason!" Veronica said angrily. "And now my baby is dead!"

"The poor kid is better off not having to know its bitch of a mother!" Madison said scornfully.

Veronica had enough. She had thought that she hated Madison before this moment. But now, as Madison's hateful words rang in her ears, she felt hatred like she had never felt before. For the first time in her life, she understood murder. She understood the rage that compelled men and women to do despicable things. She was going to wipe the smirk of Madison's face forever.

She took a step closer and reached into her bag. Before Madison knew what was happening, Veronica had her tazer out and jabbed it into her stomach. Pain like Madison had never felt forced her to the ground. Madison cried out. Veronica looked down dispassionately at her. She crouched down, so she could look Madison in the eye. "It was a boy. You killed my son and you're going to pay," Veronica vowed.

"I'm going to press charges!" Madison gasped.

"If you do, I'll let Logan have his wish. We'll bring a lawsuit against you and your parents for the loss of my baby. Maybe I'll even convince my dad to file criminal assault charges," Veronica threatened. She wanted until understanding glimmered in Madison's eyes. "Your suffering has just begun." She stood up and looked down at Madison in satisfaction. She deserved so much more. And Veronica would make sure she got it.

******_Chapter End******_

_The line "You are my favorite thing" comes directly from the series finale of "Fringe". It was such a beautifully sweet moment on the episode that the line is imprinted in my brain. However, on the show, it wasn't a romantic line, but a line the father Walter said to his son Peter. I am in mourning at the loss of another one of my favorite shows, so I included it in here. I thought it fit very well. I hope you liked it, too!_

_Okay, so I know you're mad about having Veronica lose the baby, but wasn't the scene with LoVe one of the best ones I've written in a while? Come on, you can tell me! Please review_!


	20. Chapter 20

**Once again, I am exceedingly pleased with all the reviews. Since we hit 20 on the number of reviews, I decided to post this chapter a day earlier than I planned. I know some of you have mixed feelings about some of the storylines-that's why I have more than one! But I appreciate your encouragement all the same. I hope by the end you'll be mostly pleased (can't please everyone all the time) with the various outcomes I have planned. Jazmin's storyline will wrap up in the next 5-7 chapters. It will get darker before it's over (her storyline). Then the final 10 or 20 (not sure how long it'll go) will focus on the LoVe and the other couples.**

**This chapter is my longest in this story I think. It is pretty angst-filled. Enjoy!**

Chapter 20: Betrayed

*****_Wednesday Evening_*******

Weevil was leaving work Wednesday evening and decided to swing by Veronica's and see how she was doing. He couldn't imagine how badly both she and Logan were probably feeling right now.

Logan answered the door. "Hey, come in," he said, opening the door. Before Weevil got very far, Logan added, "Oh, by the way, I did tell Veronica about my visit to Portland and seeing her mother."

"How did it go over?" Weevil asked.

"Better than you expected. She was annoyed, but with the miscarriage, I think she has other things to focus on," Logan said grimly.

"I am really sorry, man," Weevil said sympathetically.

"You and me both," Logan said with a sad sigh.

"So you met up with her mom? How did it go?" Weevil wondered.

"Really good. I called her mom earlier today and told her about the miscarriage," Logan shared. "I didn't want her showing up and upsetting Veronica by asking about the baby."

"Good thinking," Weevil said. "Is V home?"

"Yeah, she's out on the patio trying to ignore her urge to pick up Richie, Trina's baby," Logan said.

"Why's that?" Weevil asked in confusion.

"She's really attached to the baby and now is scared of losing him, too, if Trina decides to leave Neptune. And I think it also hurts her a bit to see a baby and be reminded of what we lost," Logan said, a sad glint in his eyes.

Weevil nodded. "That makes sense," he said.

Logan went back to his nephew who was laying on a blanket on the floor in front of the television kicking his legs. Logan was playing with him while Trina was having dinner with a client. He felt he needed to stay home as much as he could so that he could be near Veronica. He decided to ignore Veronica's behavior about Richie. Given enough time, he felt confident that Veronica would be able to play with her nephew again. "You're too perfect to resist for long," he told Richie as he waved the plastic keys at him.

Outside on the patio, Veronica greeted Weevil as he joined her on the deck. "I wanted to see if you were okay," Weevil said, sitting down in the chair next to her.

"As okay as could be expected I guess," Veronica said. "I'm still trying to come to terms with it."

"Well, it's only been two days. It'll take some time," Weevil said. "Do you know what caused it?"

"Madison Sinclair," Veronica said coldly. She filled Weevil in on the events over the weekend and Monday. "My baby survived my hit and run. I guess the last blow was too much for him."

"It was a boy?" Weevil asked in surprise.

"Yes, I had them test the DNA. I had to know," Veronica said. "We hadn't agreed on a name yet. I wanted to name him after you. Eli Keith Echolls. Logan said he'd consider Keith Eli Echolls." She gave him a bittersweet smile.

Weevil was moved by her confession. He had sort of thought she was joking when she suggested she wanted to name the baby after him. He figured it was just a way to yank Logan's chain. "I can't believe you were serious about that!" he said in surprise.

"Of course, I was," Veronica said vehemently. "You saved Logan's life. I wouldn't have had any baby without you."

"All I did was put my hand over the hole in him. It wasn't anything heroic. What he did for you was heroic. He jumped in front of the bullet," Weevil reminded her.

"You were moving to do exactly that yourself though, so it doesn't matter. In my book, you're a hero. You called 911 when I was nearly comatose from terror. I was useless, but you weren't. You did the same thing when I was hit by the car. You never hesitate," Veronica said. She reached over to grab his hand. "I know I can't keep blaming this sentimental side on my pregnancy hormones still, but life is short, Weev. I want you know that I love you like you're my brother, and I will be forever grateful for what you did for me and Logan."

Weevil had been raised by a very passionate and emotional grandmother, so he wasn't unused to a woman's sentiment. However, it wasn't a side Veronica showed him often. "I lost a lot in high school, V. But you never gave up on me or quit helping me. You crossed barriers most would never even try to befriend me. When I had no one, I knew you would be there for me, so I feel the same way, mi hermana." He gave her hand a squeeze and then leaned back in the chair. "So tell me what you got plan for the putada. 'Cause I know you got payback planned." He flashed her a bloodthirsty grin.

"I got Leo and Sacks tailing her when she drives. They won't have to make up anything because she is always speeding and driving reckless," Veronica said.

"Careful, V. Your daddy may not appreciate you requisitioning his deputies like that," Weevil warned.

"He'll get over it," she said flatly. "Remember last time I had you get your uncle to tow her car?"

"Sure. You chickened out though," he reminded her with a grin.

"I won't this time," she said grimly. "She's going to know what misery really is."

"I can get on that. No problemo," Weevil said.

"Wait a week though. I want her to accumulate some driving citations first. She got one today. It won't be the last," Veronica said with gleeful satisfaction. "One day next week."

"Consider it done. If there's anything else, call me," Weevil said.

"So how's it going with you and Jazmin? Any better?" Veronica asked, changing the subject.

Weevil's expression became both guarded and grim. "No. She called me from the hospital Monday, but she wouldn't let me come see her," he replied, still pissed and hurt at the memory. "I know your miscarriage has got to be bringing back bad memories for her."

"I saw her on campus today. She's okay," Veronica said. She considered what she needed to share with Weevil. She had told Jazmin that she'd let her be the one to tell him about her betrayal. "I'm sure she'll talk to you soon."

"Did you get a chance to find out anything? I know she was talking to you when you started having pains. What did she tell you? Am I crazy for thinking something's going on?" Weevil asked.

"No, you're not. There is something, but she wants to tell you herself," Veronica admitted. "If she doesn't contact you in another day or so, I'd make a point of going to see her."

Weevil nodded, trusting her. "Well, thanks for talking to her. Jason hasn't been any help. He's so wrapped up in Daisy, he can't see straight," Weevil said in annoyance.

"I'm glad for the two of them," Veronica said. She watched Weevil stand up. "Weevil, do you really love her?" Although she knew the answer, she wanted to gauge how badly this was going to go for him.

"More than I ever knew I could love anyone. She's the most perfect woman I have ever met," he said reverently.

"Well, she's not perfect, Weevil. And if you keep her on that pedestal, the fall for you both will be very painful," Veronica advised.

Weevil frowned, detecting hidden meaning in her words. "She's perfect for me," he stated confidently.

"Do you love her no matter what?" Veronica asked.

"Of course!" he said in surprise.

"I hope so," Veronica said softly. She looked away, out at the water. It made her sick to know that Weevil was about to get his heart broken, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Sudden anger at Jazmin filled her. Why would she cheat on such a man? She truly didn't understand infidelity. If you don't love the person you're with, then you should leave them. If you love them, why would you violate their trust? She just didn't get it. And she never saw Jazmin as being capable of such a thing. Something wasn't right about it. She frowned and looked back up at Weevil. He was frowning, trying to puzzle out what Veronica was hinting at. "Just talk to her."

"I've been trying to for two damn weeks! I've gotten nowhere!" he complained. "Now she's avoiding me, demanding space."

"So give her another day or so. Then make an issue of it," Veronica suggested. If Jazmin didn't tell him by this weekend, she would. She wasn't going to keep something like that from one of her closest friends, especially when he was the wronged party.

Weevil nodded. "Will do," he said. "You hang tough. Call me if you need anything."

"I will," she said as she waved goodbye. She wished things weren't going to be so awful for her friend and hated that she couldn't protect Weevil, who by nature was the fiercest protector she knew.

******_Thursday Afternoon*_*******

Eli decided that enough time had passed. Jazmin hadn't contacted him yet, so he dropped by her place determined to get past the barriers she had constructed. He rang the bell. Mac opened the door. She looked a bit distracted.

"Hey, Weevil. Come on in," she said, stepping back. "Jazmin, Weevil's here!" she yelled at the bottom of the stairs.

"How's things?" Eli asked.

Mac shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I just got off the phone with Madison Sinclair's mom, my bio mom. She's pretty pissed. I guess Veronica tazered Madison yesterday on campus," Mac shared. "Since I'm Veronica's BFF, she expects me to put an end to poor Madison's torment."

"Seriously?" Eli asked in surprise. "Don't they know what Madison did?"

Mac gave a tired sigh. "Look, I don't want to argue. I know Veronica's probably already convinced you Madison caused her miscarriage. That's not true. If she was going to miscarry over Madison's shove, she would've done so that night. Not two days later. There was something obviously wrong with the fetus," Mac said with conviction.

Jazmin came down the stairs. "A person can't go around putting their hands on pregnant women without holding some responsibility for the outcome," Eli said with equal conviction.

"Maybe so," Mac said sadly. "I just wish so very much Madison Sinclair was not a part of my family."

"You consider her your family?" Eli asked, taken aback.

"No, but she is a part of my family. She is my sister Lauren's sister. She is my parents' daughter, both sets. I think of her like a stepsister. You know. Not related but obligated," Mac said. "Well, I'm going to go to my room and try to only think about my last project before Thanksgiving break." She nodded to Jazmin and went down the short hallway to her room.

Jazmin gave Eli a longing look for a moment. Then she went and sat down on the couch. "I guess we should talk," she said to him, a look of sad resignation on her face.

"Are you finally ready to tell me what's going on with you, Princess?" Eli asked. "I miss you." He sat down next to her. He reached out to take her hand.

She let him hold her hand for a moment, closing her eyes at his touch. God, how she missed him. She had made such an unbelievable mess of everything. Opening her eyes, she gazed at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I miss you, too," she admitted. Then she moved on the couch and pulled back her hand. She turned her body so that she could look at him fully. "I'm really sorry, Eli. You'll never know how sorry I am for putting you through all this, for hurting you. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd be in this position. I never thought I'd be the one to hurt you so much. I really, really hate myself."

"Don't say that! You shouldn't ever say that! I could never hate you," Eli insisted.

"Don't be so quick to say that," she admonished. Bracing herself for his explosion, she trudged ahead. "I told Veronica that I'd tell you why I was so freaked about the possibility of being pregnant."

"I understand why," he said easily. "I know you're not ready."

"No, that's not it. Well, it's true I'm not ready, but that's not why I was so upset," she explained. She took a deep breath, trying to steel her resolve. "I was upset because I had sex with another guy. A guy I hate. A guy who isn't you. I'm so sorry, Eli."

She looked at him with eyes rimmed with tears, but he barely registered her expression. His mind was still trying to take in what she had just revealed. "You had sex with another guy? I don't believe you!" he exclaimed. He got up from the couch and looked down at her with stunned disbelief. There was a roaring in his ears. Surely, he heard her wrong. He looked at her expectantly.

The tears that were threatening fell. "I'm sorry. It happened only once a few weeks ago. It was a horrible, horrible mistake," she said. She wiped the tears. She shouldn't cry. She didn't deserve any sympathy. Not after what she was doing to him.

"Who is the guy? I want to know! Tell me!" he demanded angrily.

"I can't, Eli. I can't! It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have let it happen! You can't know how sorry I am!" she exclaimed, her hurt breaking at his betrayed looked.

"You're sorry? You screw another guy and you're sorry?" he asked in disbelief. "How could you do that? I thought you loved me."

"I do! I do love you, Eli!" Jazmin said vehemently. She got up and reached a hand out to him. This time it was he who pulled away from her touch.

"Don't touch me!" he said angrily. "I can't believe you! All this time I was feeling sorry for you, worried about you! I actually thought something awful had happened to you! What an idiot I am! I didn't realize the terrible thing was the fact that you didn't know how to keep your damn legs together!"

Jazmin sucked in a sharp breath. It felt like he'd slapped her. She couldn't say she was surprised by his words, but it still hurt. She knew how he felt. Joseph's betrayal still had the power to sting her after three years. "Please forgive me, Eli. I wish I could change what happened. You don't know how badly," she said almost on a whisper.

Eli gave her an incredulous look. She tells him that she'd slept with another guy, and he's just suppose to forgive her? She can't be serious. "Forgive you? I can't even look at you!" he said in disgust. "I thought you were in love with me the way I'm in love with you. I guess you were just slumming after all. I never ever thought you'd have something in common with Lilly Kane." He gave her one last loath-filled look and turned to leave. On his way out, he couldn't resist slamming the door in anger.

Jazmin was frozen, staring after him. She'd finally done it. She'd destroyed the last good thing in her life. She hadn't reported David because she didn't want to lose Eli; she didn't want to see him destroyed. However, she'd managed to do both on her own. Now she didn't have him anyway, so what did it matter? Nothing mattered. Now he hated her.

Mac came out of her room to inquire about the commotion. She glanced at the closed front door and saw Jazmin standing in the living room looking crushed. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked in concern.

Jazmin blinked, tears streaming down her face. "No, it's not. I ruined everything. Eli and I are over," she said in despair. She headed to the stairs, wanting desperately to escape to her room, away from Mac's compassionate gaze. She didn't deserve Mac's compassion.

"What happened?" Mac asked.

"I told Eli that I had sex with another guy," Jazmin said flatly. The story was going to come out, so she saw no reason to not tell Mac. "I don't want to talk about it." She went up to her room, knowing nothing would make what she did any better. No words could wipe away the look of hurt and betrayal she'd put on Eli's face.

******_Blue Angel*_******

Eli was so angry and so hurt by Jazmin's revelation that he sat outside in his car for a full ten minutes. Her betrayal immobilized him, left him ripped a part. He didn't know it was possible to feel this badly. Finally, he started his car and drove aimlessly around, his mind racing. Who had she been with? Duncan Kane? He was lonely and heartbroken with the Piz fellow stealing back his girl, Parker. Maybe he seduced Jazmin. They had been lovers. Eli knew the allure of former lovers. Or maybe it was Wallace. She had really cared about Wallace. Maybe Wallace talked his way back into her pants. The thought made him angry, but it also didn't feel right. Jazmin said she hated the guy. Wallace was not someone anyone could really hate. Feeling heartsick, he decided that he needed a drink. No way was he ready to go home and face Jazmin's twin. He didn't trust himself not to take his anger out on her brother. Maybe Jason knew there was another guy. Maybe that's why he hadn't been so concerned about his sister's odd behavior. Maybe Eli had been duped by both of them.

That ugly thought took root inside. Jason and he had become tight, but blood was thicker. If Jazmin stepped out on him, would Jason tell him if he knew? Disgusted with his musings, he pulled into the Blue Angel. It was a dive bar he used to go to with Hector and Felix back in the day. Felix loved to play pool. It had been awhile since Eli'd been. He headed for the bar and ordered a Jack Daniels. Tonight he was going to get so drunk that he'd black out and forget about the sudden nightmare that had unfolded.

About fifteen minutes later, Dick stopped into his favorite little bar for a drink. He had left his fraternity house more annoyed than usual. This was Chip's last year as fraternity president, and he was pressuring Dick to take over next year. Dick tried to explain he was running a business (no need to explain his burden was shared by a few), had a full load of classes, and a demanding girlfriend. Of course, most of that was bull. Mac wasn't demanding. But Dick was. He wasn't about to sacrifice his time with her to babysit a bunch of shitheads. His phone beeped as he was getting out of his car. Frowning, he read the text Mac sent. She was having a crap night herself. Veronica's campaign to punish Madison was under way and Jazmin was having a melt down. Dick pulled opened the doors of the Blue Angel and text a question _What's going on with Jazzie?_ He looked around for a table when he spotted a familiar shaved head. Weevil was sitting at the bar. His phone buzzed again. He read the message. Frowning at the former PCHer, he walked toward Weevil. Looked like the poor dude was trying to drown his sorrows.

"Surprised to see you here," Dick said as he sat down next to Weevil at the bar.

Weevil glanced over. "Not in the mood. Go away," Weevil snarled. He did not have the patience to put up with Logan's too sunny, annoying sidekick.

"Yeah, sorry, dude. I heard you and Jazmin broke up," Dick said with sympathy. He gave his drink order to the bartender and munched on some nuts. "Oh, add an order of buffalo wings," he said as an afterthought. "Dude, they have the best wings here! Have you tried them?"

Weevil frowned in annoyance. The guy wasn't going away but was settling in. He resigned himself to Dick's company. "Bad news travels fast," he said.

"So what happened?" Dick asked.

"What? She didn't tell you?" Weevil asked with a bitter edge.

"I haven't seen her since we were at the hospital on Monday. I just got a text from Mac saying Jazzie was having a bad day due to your break up," Dick explained.

Weevil didn't respond-just took another drink.

Dick frowned at him in concern. He didn't know Weevil all that well, but the guy looked like he was hanging on by a thread. Maybe he should call Jason. Then he remembered that Jason was catching an early flight to Puerto Rico to be with Daisy. And Veronica had enough on her plate right now. So Dick figured he could at least give the guy his ear. The guy had always had Logan's back since he hooked up with Veronica. Dick sort of saw them as friends by extension.

"You know break-ups don't have to be forever. The girls usually get over whatever stupid shit we did and take us back," Dick said cheerfully. He took a sip of his drink.

"Who says I want her back?" Weevil said pointedly.

Dick looked surprised. Weevil was crazy about Jazmin. It was obvious to everyone even Dick. "You don't? Why not? I thought you were nuts about her," Dick questioned.

"Yeah, well, things change. She told me she slept with another guy," Weevil said flatly.

"No way!" Dick exclaimed in disbelief.

"She'd not been acting herself the past few weeks, and I've been worried about her," Weevil shared. "Imagine how I feel to discover that her inability to stay faithful was the problem."

Dick had trouble wrapping his mind around Jazmin's infidelity. "Who's the guy?" he asked.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me. Said it was a mistake, and she hated the guy," Weevil said.

Dick frowned. "I don't know, dude. This doesn't sound like Jazmin," Dick said doubtfully.

"Yeah, I'm having trouble believing it, too. But it makes sense. She'd been feeling guilty. That's why she was acting so odd lately," Weevil said. He finished his drink and ordered another one.

The bartender gave Dick his wings. Dick was thoughtful as he begin eating. He was slowly chewing and looked over at Weevil. The guy was brooding, but Dick knew he was devastated. He couldn't imagine how he'd feel if Mac suddenly told him that she'd slept with another guy. Dick would go ape-shit. But this didn't feel right. "I'm having a hard time, dude, believing this," Dick finally stated.

Weevil gave him a pissed off look. "What? You think I'd make this up?" Weevil asked in disbelief.

"No. I just can't see Jazmin doing that," Dick replied. "I've spent a lot of time over at Mac's since the semester started. Not a lot lately 'cause we've been at my dad's since he's at of town. But I just can't believe Jazmin would step out on you."

"Yeah, well, I can't believe it either," Weevil said. "But she looked me in the eye and told me."

"But she got screwed over that way by Joseph. She knows how it feels. Not to mention she bitch-slapped Wally-World when he got caught just _kissing_ another girl. You weren't there, dude, when that happened. You didn't see the look on her face when she wailed on Wallace," Dick said adamantly. "I just don't believe it. That is not a girl built to cheat."

"You think I want to believe it?" Weevil asked angrily. "This woman is my world. I thought she was the best thing that ever happened to me. Her brother has become my best friend. Now I have to wonder if he knew and was keeping it from me."

"Was she drunk? Maybe she didn't realize what she did. That's why she slept with a guy she hated," Dick said. "Logan slept with Maddie when he was drunk, and he's always hated her. I made out without another woman when I was drunk once. Maybe it was like an accident."

Weevil hadn't thought of that. He didn't know if it made it better, but it would explain why if she loved him like she said, she'd betray him like this. "I don't know," he admitted. "She wouldn't say anything but that it was a mistake."

"Well, it doesn't make any sense to me, dude," Dick said. "This isn't Jazmin. Either she's lying for some crazy reason or she was drunk." Then a thought occurred to him and his eyes widened in surprise. "Beaver."

"What?" Weevil asked confused. "What do beavers have to do with this?"

"Not beavers. Beaver. My brother," Dick explained. "He had sex with Veronica when she was practically unconscious. She'd been roofied. And those douche bags freshmen year roofied Parker and raped her and a bunch of other girls. Maybe it was something like that, but she didn't think about it. She was at a party and had some drinks and woke up in bed with another guy. She couldn't believe what she did, so she didn't think it might not have been her fault."

Weevil looked at Dick like the man had threw him a life line. He wouldn't have believed that Logan's dumb friend could manage to make him feel better. Maybe the guy wasn't so dumb after all. "You think?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, it makes more sense than Jazmin just falling into bed with some other guy," Dick said confidently.

Weevil really wished Dick would end up being right, but Jazmin had looked so guilty. He took another drink. He couldn't think about anything but the fact that he was in love with a woman who admitted to having sex with another man. Sighing at the image it produced, he took another drink.

_*******Friday on Campus*******_

Wallace and Veronica were having lunch together in the food court. Wallace was unbelievably sad about the lost of their baby. It was so hard to believe. He was relieved that Veronica was back to school so soon. He didn't know what to say, so he started telling her about his new favorite topic.

"Thea says I should think about getting my master's. What do you think?" Wallace asked.

"Well, the market is highly competitive now a days. Every advantage is a good thing. You'll be the smartest jock I know!" Veronica teased. She really liked the positive effect Wallace's new girl was having on him.

"Oh, last night I dinner with my dad," Wallace shared.

"How's he liking his new job?" Veronica asked.

"Fine. I think he's glad to be away from the cold. It's already cold in Chicago at this time of the year, so he's diggin' the new climate," Wallace said. "Guess what he told me?"

"What?" Veronica asked.

"He did a background check on Thea and checked out her family, and get this: they are completely without criminal connections of any kind!" Wallace said with a grin. "High five!" Veronica laughed as Wallace high-fived her.

"So you aren't mad at your dad for being so evasive?" Veronica asked.

"Are you nuts? I was going to have Keith run a check myself!" Wallace said with a grin. "After Julie, I'm not taking any chances. Or finding out Jackie had a baby in another state and was lying practically from the dad we met."

Veronica nodded in understanding. She couldn't really blame Wallace. Like Veronica, he was a trusting person by nature, but hard events had caused them both to be less trusting. Wallace still retained more of his trusting nature than Veronica had, but the past events had begun to weigh on his soul. "So how's it going with Thea?" she asked.

"Great! I really like her, V. She's so different and so focused. I was really relieved that I'm not going to be blindsided by skeletons in her closet," Wallace admitted. "Things are going so perfect that I'm a bit freaked. We've not been officially dating a full week, but she's let me kiss her goodbye every day!"

"Progress," Veronica observed with a smile at Wallace's enthusiasm. It was good to see someone so happy when everyone else in her life was so miserable, including herself.

"Yep!" Wallace said happily. "I never knew I could be satisfied with so little, but I'm taking it slow. We're going on our first official date tomorrow night."

"Good for you. I'm glad for you, Wallace. It's nice to see someone so happy for a change," Veronica said. "Weevil and Jazmin broke up."

"Really?" Wallace asked in surprise. "Why?"

"She cheated on him," Veronica said with a frown.

"Jazmin? I don't believe it!" Wallace said in surprise.

"Yeah, it's hard to believe," Veronica said sadly.

Wallace shook his head. "I really have a hard time seeing that. Are you sure?" he asked.

"Well, she said she did. But I don't know the details. She's reluctant to talk about it," Veronica admitted.

"It just doesn't sound right. It's not the woman I know, and I know her quite well," Wallace said doubtfully.

Veronica knew Wallace had a point. It did seem out of character. "Sometimes people make mistakes. I never thought you'd step out on her either," Veronica pointed out to Wallace.

Wallace grimaced at the reminder. "Okay. I get it. Let's talk about something else. How are you doing? I know it can't be easy right now," Wallace stated.

"I'm doing okay. I'm distracting myself by focusing on Madison," Veronica said.

"You planning her demise?" Wallace asked knowingly.

"You know it," Veronica said with a satisfied grin. "I got Max to hack into her school records and make public all Madison's dismal grades to the entire school-employees and students."

"Max? Not Mac? Is your Q in retirement?" Wallace asked in surprise.

"Mac doesn't think Madison caused my miscarriage, and she doesn't want to upset Lauren, Madison and Mac's sister," Veronica said.

"Yeah, I can see how it may be tricky for her," Wallace said. "But you had been hit by a car, so being hit in the stomach couldn't have been good for you. How can Mac not see that?"

Veronica frowned. "I don't know. We've never fought before, but I was really kind of mean the other day when she was taking up for Madison. I just couldn't believe it. She knows more than just about anyone how much I hate Madison even before this happened," Veronica said.

Wallace winced in sympathy. "It's not easy for her either with that whole switched-at-birth thing," Wallace pointed out.

Veronica sighed. "Yeah, I know. That's why I apologized Wednesday in class, and she agreed to take me to my doctor's appointment this afternoon," Veronica said.

"Doctor? I thought you said you were okay?" Wallace asked in concern.

"I am. It's just a follow-up appointment," Veronica stated.

Relieved, Wallace nodded. "Good. I hate worrying about you," he said.

"I know," Veronica said in understanding. "So why don't you tell me all about your plans for Thea tomorrow?"

Wallace grinned and eagerly began filling her in.

******_Afternoon*******_

Madison Sinclair was driving home from class with her hands clenched tightly on the steering wheel. She was fuming. Yesterday, she had gotten pulled over again on the way to class by Officer Leo for rolling a stop sign. Two tickets in two days. Madison figured that Officer Leo was laying in wait for her. After her confrontation with Veronica on Wednesday, Madison now knew Veronica was behind her sudden police harassment. Her latest attack involved public humiliation. Madison was pointed at and whispered around all day. Finally, when she had a chance to check her email she saw an email titled "Dumber than a door knob." She clicked on it and was shocked to see a picture of herself with a caption under it that said, "Madison Sinclair was too dumb for USC, but she is just rich enough for Hearst." Her marks from high school, her SAT score, and her grades since coming to Hearst were posted. Madison's cheeks had burned in humiliation.

"She must have Mac helping her," Madison said aloud to herself. This sudden thought gave her some comfort. She couldn't wait to get home to tell her sister and her parents that their perfect and precious new daughter wasn't so perfect. Lauren would see that Mac wasn't any better than Madison. Madison was so angry and busy picturing the upcoming confrontation that she never noticed when she passed a police car going way over the speed limit. It wasn't until she was almost home that she noticed the flashing lights. Groaning in frustration, she pulled over. Not again!

*******_The Doctor's Office_********

Mac drove Veronica to her doctor's office without saying much. Veronica speculated on who the guy was that Jazmin cheated on Weevil with. Mac honestly had no idea and felt uncomfortable talking about it. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she was so oblivious to whatever had been going on with Jazmin lately. When they arrived at the doctor's office, it wasn't long before Veronica's name was called.

When the doctor finished examining her, Veronica asked, "Why did this happen?"

Her doctor looked compassionate as she replied, "I wish I could give you a clear answer, Veronica. I know it's hard. What the ER doctor told you is true. Most miscarriages are due to something being wrong with the fetus," she said.

"But you just gave me an ultrasound and I was at the ER two days before the miscarriage! I don't understand!" Veronica said in frustration.

"Ultrasounds can sometimes detect problems, but not always," the doctor replied.

"Do you think it was being shoved into that corner table last Saturday night?" Veronica asked. "My best friend Mac told me that if I was going to lose the baby over that I would've started bleeding that night."

"She's right. Most of the time if a trauma has occurred you know right away something is wrong. However, you were hit by a car early on. It is true, too, that unborn babies are fragile. It isn't unheard of for a woman to miscarry if she's hit in the stomach. It's very rare, but it is possible," the doctor stated. "The important thing is that there is nothing physically wrong with you that would prevent you from having kids in the future. Was this pregnancy planned?"

"No. I was on the pill," Veronica admitted.

"Well, the next time you can plan the perfect time to be pregnant. It'll happen when you're ready," the doctor told her.

"When will it be okay for me to have sex again?" Veronica asked.

"Not until you're no longer bleeding. Your cervix needs some time to heal. Two weeks is the norm. You don't want to put tampons or anything else inside of you until then. However, you may want to wait a bit longer before trying to get pregnant again," the doctor said.

Veronica looked alarmed at the suggestion. "Oh, I don't want to try to get pregnant again!" she exclaimed. "Not until I'm done with school at the very least."

"Well, come see me if you change your mind," the doctor said. "And Veronica, it's not a good idea to waste your energy on blame. Many woman miscarry. I miscarried the first time I was pregnant. It was traumatic and awful, but I went on to have three healthy babies. My oldest will graduate from high school this year."

Veronica knew what the doctor was trying to do, but she just wasn't ready to think about having another baby and going through the disappointment again. There was no guarantee that she could carry another baby to term. However, a big part of her knew that there wasn't anything wrong with her or the baby she lost. Her baby shouldn't have died. The pregnancy was unplanned and unexpected, but it was a life that she and Logan had created together, a life that was precious and perfect. A life she would never know, never get to hold.

When she met Mac in the waiting room, she felt both depressed and angry. Everyone wanted her to just move on and forget about the life she had had inside of her, but she just couldn't do it.

"Is everything okay?" Mac asked as they walked out of the doctor's office.

"As okay as it can be considering my baby's dead," Veronica said sourly. When Mac looked taken aback by her sour reply, she felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry. The doctor tried to make me feel better, but I just feel kind of worse. She said she had a miscarriage and went on to have three healthy kids. I know she was trying to help, but all I could think about was that my baby is gone and every one wants me to just pretend like it didn't happen."

"I don't think anyone wants that. We just want you to feel better," Mac replied.

"Well, I'm not going to feel better until Madison feels as badly as I do," Veronica replied bluntly. "The doctor told me that since I was involved in the hit and run, getting shoved into a table could have been too much for my baby. We may never be able to say unequivocally that Madison caused my miscarriage, but I know it in my heart!"

Mac was torn. She had seen the email Veronica had managed to spread across campus about Madison. She knew about the tazering and the police harassment. She'd already endured one angry call from Marilyn over Veronica's actions. It broke her heart that Veronica and Logan lost their baby, but her pragmatic nature just didn't allow her to react irrationally. Even though Madison had said hateful things to Veronica just two days ago, Mac didn't want the payback to escalate. It wouldn't make anything better. At the end of the day, Veronica's baby would still be gone. However, she didn't want to fight with her best friend or upset her further. Mac knew she'd been through enough. "I don't know what you want me to say, Veronica. I know this is awful for you, and I'm sorry," Mac said diplomatically.

They arrived at Mac's car. Veronica didn't make a move to get inside. She stopped and faced Mac. "You really think I'm wrong, don't you? You don't think Madison is responsible for my miscarriage," Veronica stated.

Mac's eyes reflected her inner turmoil. Veronica's friendship for the longest time was the most important relationship in her life. Then she had Dick. And now she had her sister Lauren. For a few short months this year, Mac's life was as perfect as it had ever been. All her worlds fit. Her school, her new business, her family, and her personal life had been in perfect harmony. Now she could feel it start to unravel. Even more than Wallace or Logan, Mac knew the lengths Veronica had gone through when on a case. When someone she cared about was involved, she'd go the ultimate distance. She had committed a felony for Duncan. She and Mac both had for Wallace when they took down the Castle. Mac wanted to always be her Q. Always be the one Veronica turned to when she needed help. But now it was her family that was being threatened. Mac hated confrontation, and she hated disappointing her parents. Now that she had two sets, it made the position she was in with Veronica and Madison very difficult. She wanted to be the friend Veronica always counted on. However, for the first time, Mac wasn't sure she could be.

*****_*TO BE CONTINUED*_*****


	21. Chapter 21

**Okay, so the next two chapters are dark (very dark), but after that the darkness is mostly over. Things won't be fixed and happy right away, of course, but the worse will be over! **

Chapter 21: The Nightmare Returns

_******Friday Afternoon: Mac and Veronica Still*****_

Mac was sad but resigned as she answered Veronica's inquiry. "I'm sorry, Veronica, but I don't blame Madison. I blame the Universe or God or whoever's in control. I know Madison was drunk and angry and lashed out at you. It was wrong of her. But her intent wasn't to cause a miscarriage, and I really wish you'd stop punishing her," Mac said.

"She hasn't begun to suffer yet," Veronica said in sudden anger. She couldn't understand how Mac was on Madison' side. Madison wasn't a victim. She had willingly participated in too many of Veronica's years of misery. It was going to end.

"Veronica, please, don't keep this up," Mac said beseechingly. "At the end of the day, you still won't have your baby, Madison will still be the selfish bitch she's always been, and my family will be angry at me for not stopping you."

"You just don't get it. Not at all," Veronica said in sudden anguish. She put her hand on her stomach. "I had a life inside of me, Mac. Not a life I planned on creating, but a life that was created out of mine and Logan's love. Once I got past my fear, all I could see was my son. I knew it was a boy, and it was. My _son_, Mac. I had a son, and now I don't. How can you not get that? I could just imagine what he'd look like. My blonde hair but Logan's eyes. I could feel his little hands grabbing mine. I could picture Logan and him on a kiddie board on the water. I could see it, Mac. That was my future. A future that is not going to happen. He was mine. _Mine_. How could he be gone? How could you expect me to just let it go? Let Madison get away with her part in it? How could you ask that of me? You know I'm not built that way. Please, don't ask me to just let it go, to let her get away with what she took from me."

Mac brushed the tears Veronica's heartfelt words had brought forth. "I'm sorry," she whispered. And she was. She was sorry that Veronica was once again forced to live through another loss. That Veronica's dreams for her unborn baby were destroyed, her hopes forever unrealized. She felt guilty that she couldn't give Veronica the unwavering support she'd always given her.

The two best friends stood there looking at one another. Their eyes filled with tears and pain. They both could feel something slipping away from them, a shift in their relationship. One they knew they were unable to stop.

********_San Diego State********_

Wallace went out on the court to warm up. He looked up in the stands and wasn't surprised to see his mom and Darrel. They usually made most of his games that were in the area of Neptune, especially if the game wasn't late. However, he was surprised to see Duncan and Lily sitting with them. Then he did a double take when he also spotted Thea and an older couple sitting next to her. She was sitting directly in front of Duncan. Wallace told his coach that he'd be right back. He headed to the stands.

"This is a nice surprise!" he said to Thea. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Well, my grandparents live not far from here, so I thought we'd come watch your game," Thea said. She introduced Wallace to her grandparents, who were delighted that their brilliant granddaughter finally had a beau.

"Wallace!" Lily shouted, not liking the fact that he hadn't noticed her yet. She moved down and squeezed next to Thea, holding out her arms to Wallace.

"Lily!" Duncan admonished trying to grab her, but she was in Wallace's arms before he could reach her.

Wallace laughed. "My favorite girls are all here to see me! I'm so flattered!" he exclaimed.

"I's your best girl!" Lily insisted with a touch of the Kane arrogance.

Thea and her grandparents laughed at the toddler's bold claim.

"Yes, you are," Wallace solemnly agreed. He kissed her cheek. "Nice of you guys to come see me play," he said to Duncan.

"Well, I've been telling you we would and since you were playing so close, I decided to bring her," Duncan said. No reason to get into his other reason. Wallace was close friends with Piz after all. An away game increased the odds that Piz would not be in attendance.

"Do you want to grab a late dinner after the game?" Thea asked.

"Can we join you?" Alicia asked, deciding her son had ignored her long enough. She grinned knowingly at him. This must be the new girl. She wasn't like the normal girls he went for, but Alicia knew he was really crazy about her.

"Oh, sorry, Mom," Wallace said. He introduced his mom and brother to Thea and her grandparents. Wallace was glad his mom would get to meet her. Although they had met once briefly the night Wallace had met Thea for the first time, she hadn't been his girlfriend then.

Thea gave his mom a shy smile and greeted her. "Have a good game!" Alicia said to him.

"Gotta go!" he said. He gave Lily to Duncan and headed back down to the court.

"See, honey, I told you that Wallace would see you," Duncan said to his daughter. The cheerleaders made it to the floor to start their warm-up. They weren't sitting but a few rows from the floor, so they were easy to spot. Lily was excited to see the pom-pom waving girls. "Look, Daddy! The cheerleaders!" she said excitedly. Then she spotted Parker. "Daddy, there's Parker! She's a cheerleader!" She pointed and waved crazily. Then she yelled, "Parker!" at the top of her lungs.

Parker looked up at the sound of her name. She was pleasantly surprised to see Duncan and his little girl at the game. Lily was waving like crazy, obviously wanting to be noticed. Parker smiled and waved at the toddler. She tried not to think too hard about why Duncan was at the game. He was friends with Wallace, so it probably had nothing to do with her. However, when Duncan's eyes stayed steady on her, she couldn't help but wonder.

*****_*At the Same Time Elsewhere*_*****

David had carefully listened to Wallace all week. He knew what was going on in the lives of Wallace's friends. He knew that Wallace was on his way to a game against San Diego State, and Jazmin's roommate Parker would be cheering at the game. Jazmin's other roommate, Mac, was taking Veronica Mars to her doctor's appointment. And the big, bad brother Jason was on his way to Puerto Rico. David had to work hard to contain his glee when Wallace had told him that Jazmin had broken up with her beaner boyfriend. She was finally utterly alone.

It was time to have a little chat with her. Rage still burned within him when he thought about her behavior toward him at the coffee shop a week ago. His friends were still ribbing him over her obvious dislike. Since David knew her schedule as well as he knew his own, he knew her last class was over at 3:15pm. Normally, she stayed on campus to wait for her boyfriend. Now that he was no longer in the picture, David knew that she'd probably come home directly after school.

David walked to her house. If anyone drove by, they'd just see another college student out for a stroll. He had on his work-out clothes to help portray the image. Her house was not very far from campus, and it took no time to arrive at her house. Deciding that he shouldn't try the front door, he went around back to the kitchen door. It didn't take him very long to get in since the door was unlock. He smirked in satisfaction. The girls were entirely too confident of their safety. David strolled inside and decided to wait in the kitchen in case Parker or Mac came back home for something. Then he could slip back out undetected.

*****_*The Beach House_*******

Logan wasn't home when Mac and Veronica made it back to the house. Mac saw Dick's truck, so she parked. She wasn't ready for things to change between her and Veronica, so she decided to hang around a bit.

"You're coming in?" Veronica asked in surprise. She had figured Mac would avoid her for a bit now that things were uncomfortable between them.

"If it's okay," Mac said haltingly.

"Of course!" Veronica said with a smile. "My home is yours. Always."

The girls walked inside to see Dick dancing around the living room with Richie. The stereo was blaring All American Rejects' song "Give'em hell". Dick was singing to Richie and dancing around the living room. The two women stood there a few minutes amazed at the sight. Finally, Veronica marched over to the stereo and turned down the music. Dick noticed them. He wore that ape-shitting grin of his. "Look! Richie's smiling!" he exclaimed.

Mac went to them while Veronica looked on from the stereo. She still wasn't ready to hold Richie yet. Sure enough, a wide grin covered Richie's face. "Hey, he really is!" Mac gushed. "I haven't seen him smile like that before."

"Because he hasn't," Veronica said softly. She fought an internal battle. She wanted so very much to grab him and hold him close. She wished his first grin was for her and not Dick. Feeling petty and foolish, she turned and went to her room.

Dick frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked. Mac leaned in and placed a kiss on Richie's cheek.

"It's not easy for her to be around Richie right now I think," Mac said in understanding.

"How come?" Dick asked, perplexed.

"She just lost a baby, Dick. A son. Richie probably reminds her of what she won't have," Mac explained.

Dick looked sad at the reminder. "This really sucks, Mackie! I don't know what to say or do," Dick said.

Mac reached out her arms to hold the baby. Dick handed him over, and she sat down on the couch with him. "Yeah, I know," Mac said tiredly. "I'm not doing so well with Veronica myself."

"What happened?" Dick asked.

"She's determined to make Madison suffer, and it puts me in the middle," Mac said.

"I don't get it, Mac. Madison told Ronnie that her baby was better off dead the other day on campus. Veronica told me. Why would you not be on Veronica's side? She's your best friend," Dick said with a note of censure.

"Dick, we've talked about this. You know what Madison's like better than anyone. You know how she manipulates her parents," Mac said. "I've already got one upset phone call from Marilyn. Madison has always been spiteful with her words. But it doesn't make her guilty of maliciously trying to harm Veronica's unborn baby."

Dick didn't like Mac being on a side that wasn't firmly aligned with him. "Mac, Madison's an adult. Shouldn't she be responsible for her own actions by now?" Dick pointed out.

"Yes. Absolutely. But because I'm Veronica's best friends, they seem to think I should be reigning her in," Mac shared. "I'm going over there in the morning for brunch. I'm sure I'll hear more about my failings."

"Don't let them criticize you, Mackie! They chose to keep that bitch, so they have to deal with her," Dick said hotly.

"I won't. I'm going to explain how Madison has brought this on herself," Mac said.

"Ah, babe, did you check your email?" Dick asked.

"Of course," Mac replied.

"Did you get the mass email someone sent out about Maddie?" Dick inquired.

"No. My email filters out mass emails," Mac said.

Dick told her about the email. "Well, I guess my brunch will be worse than I thought," Mac said dryly.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Dick offered.

Mac really did, but she didn't know if his presence would help or not. "I'd love for you to go with me, but I'm not sure it'd be a good idea," she said.

Richie started fussing. "Trina left a bottle for him. I'll go warm it," Dick said, getting up. Mac got up carrying the baby to follow him.

"You know, Dick, they'll probably think it's me helping Veronica get Madison's records," Mac said as they walked to the kitchen.

Dick grabbed the bottle out of the fridge and placed in the bottle warmer. "Okay, it's decided. I'm going with you tomorrow," Dick stated.

"I can deal with them, Dick," Mac said.

"I didn't say you couldn't. But I'm not going to let you deal with them alone," Dick insisted. "How many times have you accompanied me to my Dad's? You even went to the Country Club a few times even though you hate that place."

Mac quit arguing because she decided that Dick would make the meal bearable at least.

"Okay," she said. "After arguing with Veronica, I don't have much energy to face them anyway."

"You and Ronnie argued about Madison again?" Dick asked.

"It's different this time, Dick. She was really upset. It broke my heart knowing how much she's hurting. She asked me how could I ask her to leave Madison alone," Mac shared. "After listening to her heartbroken words, I couldn't."

"Well, that's not much of a fight," Dick said. He grabbed the bottle and handed it to Mac. She moved to the kitchen table and gave Richie his bottle. He began sucking it down.

Mac smiled at the sight. He was such a good baby. "It wasn't a fight but an impasse really," Mac said.

"Huh?" Dick asked.

"I can't have her back on this one, Dick. For the first time since we've become friends, I can't be the one she turns to in this," Mac said sadly.

Dick couldn't conceive of a circumstance that would cause him not to have Logan's back, so he could imagine how badly Mac was feeling. The hits seemed to keep coming. Dick's superstitious soul couldn't help but wonder what else was coming. His mother always said that bad things came in threes.

*****_*Back at Jazmin's**_***

Jazmin walked slowly home from campus. It had taken an effort of will to drag herself out of bed and face the day. A day without Eli. However, she decided that misery was all she deserved after what she did to him. Why did she let him and Veronica believe she'd been unfaithful? Although her reasons made sense at the time, now she was second guessing herself. She should just tell him what happened to her. Then he'd understand and forgive her. Somehow she'd make him promise not to go after David. If her dad tried to pull her out of the school, she'd put her foot down. She'd have all of Thanksgiving Break and Christmas Break to convince him that she'd be more miserable in Chicago away from Eli. David terrified her, but surely if she told Sheriff Mars, he could help her. Even if there wasn't enough evidence to convict him, maybe the sheriff could convince David to stay away from her.

The idea gave her some hope. She went into her house having made up her mind to call Eli and tell him the truth. She loved him too much to let him think she'd cheat on him. What had she been thinking? She threw her bag on the sofa and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. Her mouth fell open in shock when she saw the man in her nightmares calmly sitting in a chair at her kitchen table.

He smiled. "Hello, Jazmin," he said.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Jazmin demanded, her heart racing in fear.

David slowly got up from the chair. "You made it really easy when you left the back door open for me," he said in satisfaction. "It's almost like you _wanted _me to come in for a visit."

"I didn't leave it unlocked. It must have been one of my roommates. You need to leave before I call the cops!" Jazmin ordered. Her cell phone was in her bag in the living room. She edged closer to the door by taking a step backward.

David's face lost any air of friendliness. He pulled out his big hunting knife. "If you move another inch, I will kill you," he said calmly.

Jazmin froze in fear. Her mind raced. Maybe she could get out the door before he reached her and make a run for the front door. Then the image of him planting the knife in her back came to her mind, immobilizing her.

David stepped closer and grabbed her arm, moving her away from the door. "Don't even think about!" he warned. His hand dug hard into her arm. "You and I are going to have a little chat!"

"I have nothing to say to you!" Jazmin said with loathing.

"Well, that's fine because I have plenty to say to you," David said. "You obviously don't understand how things are going to work between us."

Jazmin assumed he was referring to a sexual relationship between them. "If you rape me again, you better kill me this time because I won't remain silent," she informed him.

David moved quickly and backhanded her. "Don't threaten me, girl!" he said angrily. "I don't want you anymore! Once was enough. But I am going to punish you."

Jazmin's hand was on her now throbbing face. Tears filled her eyes. This was a nightmare. More than before because she now knew what he was capable of. She had no hope, no one to help her. Feeling helpless, she inquired, "Punish me for what?"

"You humiliated me last Friday at the coffee shop in front of my boys. Not only did your reaction to my presence make me look suspicious, it also made me look bad in front of my teammates," he said angrily.

"You raped me! How am I supposed to act around you?" Jazmin asked bitterly.

"Women fake things all the time. You better figure out a way to fake it around me. If anyone starts asking questions, I'm just going to kill your brother," David decided. "Killing you won't be a punishment. I'll take what you love the most. No one is going to humiliate or threaten me."

"You won't find my brother so easy to target. He's not me," she said.

"Look how easy it was for me to get to you," David replied. "Your brother is entirely confident of his safety. He won't be on guard. Believe me, I'll find away into his house. I know how to pick locks."

His arrogant smirk made Jazmin want to deck him. Her fear of the knife, however, kept her frozen in place. She once again felt completely powerless. Loathing for him and for herself filled her. She had made such a mess of things. It was foolish of her to think he wouldn't bother her again. That she could put out of her mind what he did and move on. She was never going to be free of him. She tried to placate him. "I'm sorry, David. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Please, don't hurt me," she begged.

"That's a good start. I won't hurt you too much," David said with satisfaction. "Just enough to let you know I mean it. Bad girls have to be punished when they mess up. It's the only way you'll learn." He reached down to unbuckle his belt.

Jazmin's eyes widened in renewed terror. He was going to rape her again. "Please don't! You said you didn't want me anymore!" she reminded him.

He grinned in pleasure at her fear. It felt intoxicating to make her so afraid. He held the belt in his hand. "Oh, I don't. I'm not taking off my pants. Just this," he said, holding up the belt. "My momma always used the belt. It hurts but not too bad. I won't make you take off your clothes. That's when it really hurts."

Insight into his psychology didn't comfort Jazmin but made her feel worse. The man was crazier than she realized. All she could do was cry out as he raised the belt.

******_*San Diego State*_******

After her squad's half time show, Parker decided to go up to the stands and say hi to Duncan. "Hey," she said.

Lily grinned happily at her. "You very good!" Lily said. "I wanna be a cheerleader, too!"

"You can be as soon as you start school in a few years," Parker said, smiling at her. She'd look adorable as a little cheerleader.

"I think I'm going to have to tell mom that the dance class should be changed to gymnastics," Duncan said, smiling down at his excited daughter.

"Well, dance classes are helpful, too, for cheerleading. It will teach her rhythm," Parker said. "I'm going to get a drink at the concession. Can I get you anything?"

Duncan decided to take a chance. "I'll go with you," he said. He turned behind him and said to Alicia, "Would you mind watching Lily why we go to the concession stand?"

"Not at all," Alicia said. She held out her hand. Lily grinned and stood up on their seat. Then she jumped down to land in front of Alicia. Alicia bent forward to lift her up.

"Can I get you anything?" Duncan asked.

"No thanks. Darrel is already in line," she replied with a rueful smile.

"I want chocolate milk, Daddy!" Lily said.

"I'm not sure they'll have it, but I'll try my best," he said. He turned to Parker. "I'll walk down with you."

She nodded and turned to walk down to the floor. Duncan fell in step next to her. Parker was unsure how to act. He said that he didn't want to be her friend, but now he was being friendly. She didn't know where they stood.

"It's good to see you," she finally said as they walked through the gym doors and headed to the concession.

"Yes, it's good to see you, too," Duncan said easily, smiling down at her. He wanted to reach out and grab her hand.

"It's great to have you support Wallace at an away game," Parker said, trying to find something neutral to talk about.

"Well, I must confess that he isn't the real reason I'm here," Duncan told her. He stopped before they reached the crowd of people at the concession.

Parker looked up at him in surprise. Her heart raced at the intent look he was giving her. All that intensity focused on her was hard to pull away from. "He isn't?" she asked, a note of breathlessness in her voice.

Duncan reached out and grabbed her hand. "I wanted to see you," he said simply. "I don't like not seeing you anymore."

Parker frowned. "I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"Don't be sorry. Be with me," he said. Before she had time to process what he was asking of her, he bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled back before she could respond. "I'm in love with you, Parker. I don't want to lose you."

Parker was caught off guard by both his words and his actions. She knew that Duncan had feelings for her, but she hadn't realized they were so strong. He had been so gentle and patient with her that she thought he was just enjoying her company. Now she was forced to reevaluate all of his past actions. "Duncan, I.." her voice trailed off. She didn't know what to say.

"Don't say anything. Just know that I'm not giving up on us. You aren't meant to end up with Piz. I know it," he said confidently. "You are meant to be mine. Mine and Lily's."

Adding his daughter into the mix unexpectedly moved her. She knew how much Lily meant to him. If he wanted her to be a part of his daughter's life, then he must really mean it. He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Don't worry. I know you're with Piz. I know he's important to you," Duncan said in a reasonable tone. "But is he the one you see spending your life with? Will he be enough?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

His hand moved to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear. His fingers lightly caressed her cheek before moving back down to his side. "I'm not going to stop trying to convince you that you're making a mistake with Piz," he said.

"Duncan, don't do this to me. I don't want to be that girl," she said.

"I'm not asking you to cheat," Duncan clarified. "I just want to remind you that I'm here. When Piz quits being enough for you, you know where to find me." He decided that he had pressed enough and turned to go to the concession stand.

Parker stood there watching him move away from her. She felt guilty for being so affected by his words and his touch. Somehow, she knew that this wouldn't be the last time she'd feel this way.

*****_*Chapter End*_******

_Just a few more chapters will be devoted to Jazmin's story. It will quickly come to a climax in the next chapter. The belt thing was twisted, I know. But it was used on the show with Logan's abuser, and I thought it a fitting tool for a bully and twisted soul. David, like Aaron, glories in his power over his victim. No, I don't plan on writing the scene in detail-just the aftermath. Thanks for continuing to read!_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Darkest Place

_******Friday Night******_

Jazmin winced as she stepped into the hot bath. David hadn't broken anything. He had ruthlessly swung the belt a few times, hitting her back and left bicep. She looked down at her arm. A welt from the belt was already tinging her skin. Fortunately, he hadn't broken the skin. She also thought she may have some bruises from his hands when he grabbed her arm hard. Jazmin had concluded that he hadn't truly wanted to damage her much, but he got off on terrorizing her. Jazmin sunk further into the hot water until it covered her face. She wished that she was in the ocean. Then she could just float away.

*****_*The Next Morning**_****

Veronica couldn't take it anymore. She stormed into Trina's room determined to be heard.

"Trina! Wake up! Right now! Wake up!" she yelled. She reached down and yanked off the covers.

"God, Veronica! What's your deal?" Trina asked through barely opened eyes.

"Richie has been crying for a half an hour! I can't stand you ignoring him!" Veronica fumed. She glanced over at the miserable baby.

A disgruntled Trina sat up in the bed and glared at Veronica. "Relax, Ronnie! A little crying won't kill him! Go away!" Trina said. She pulled the covers back over her and tried to sink back under them.

Fuming, Veronica grabbed the covers and threw them on the floor. "He's a newborn, Trina! He's not even two months! Crying is the only way he can tell you he's hungry or needs changed!" Veronica informed her. She went over the crib and looked down at her nephew. He was red-faced with tears streaming down his red cheeks. Veronica could no longer resist the pull, and she bent down and picked him up. Veronica checked his diaper. Her anger kicked up another notch.

"He's soaking wet, Trina!" she yelled angrily.

Logan came into the bedroom. "What the hell is going on in here?" he demanded.

"Trina is ignoring Richie and letting him scream his head off! He's soaking wet!" Veronica told Logan.

Trina got out of bed and glared at Veronica. "She's overreacting!" Trina replied.

"You both need to stop yelling in front of the baby!" Logan told both women in annoyance. He reached over and grabbed the baby from Veronica. "I'll take care of him. You both can leave!"

"It's my room!" Trina protested.

"It's my house!" Logan replied.

"Fine!" Trina exclaimed. She stomped out of the room and went across the hall to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Logan," Veronica started to say. Logan cut her off.

"Go. I got this," he said pointedly. Veronica gave him a sour look but turned to leave.

Logan patted his nephew's back and soothed him. "It's okay, little man. You're okay," Logan said softly. He unsnapped his sleeper and took off his diaper. He was annoyed to discover that Veronica hadn't exaggerated. The diaper was heavy with urine. Logan quickly changed him and grabbed the extra bottle Trina kept handy. Picking him up, he sat down in the rocking chair and gave Richie the bottle. It took no time at all before Richie drifted back to sleep. Logan slowly stood up. After placing a kiss on Richie's forehead, he placed him back in his crib. Then he went into the living room.

Veronica was pacing back and forth, fuming. When she noticed Logan, she marched toward him. "Logan, I can't deal with Richie being neglected in my own home!" she exclaimed, very upset.

"Veronica, it was one incident. I think you're overreacting," Logan said.

"Overreacting? Are you joking? This is not the first time she's just let him cry! The other day I didn't bother to go check on him. For all we know, he could've been wet and hungry just like he was just now!" Veronica said angrily.

Logan knew she had a point. Before he could reply, Trina entered the living room. "What the hell's wrong with you, Veronica? If Richie's crying, you're just as capable as I am of picking him up and caring for him!" Trina informed her in irritation.

"I shouldn't have to! He's your son!" Veronica yelled.

"Okay, look, I know it's not easy for you to be around him after losing your own, but you love taking care of him. Why are you suddenly coming down on me?" Trina asked in genuine confusion.

Dick came into the room. "What's going on? What's with all the yelling?" he asked unhappy at the commotion.

"Trina thinks being a mother means she can sleep and ignore the cries from her baby!" Veronica said.

"Veronica thinks she's perfect and no one is good enough for her impossible standards!" Trina shot back.

"Sorry, dude, for waking you," Logan said to Dick. "It's fine. Go back to bed."

Dick didn't look convinced but decided he didn't want to get in the middle of the drama, so he went back to bed. He had to pick Mac up in three hours for the brunch with her parents. He could get two more hours of shut-eye.

"I don't think I'm perfect, Trina. I just want you to be Richie's mother and take care of him!" Veronica challenged.

The insult hit Trina hard. She was trying her best. "I _am_ taking care of him! How dare you say that I don't!" Trina fumed.

"Let's calm down!" Logan said in a reasonable tone. "Trina, we know you take care of Richie. I'm proud of you. Veronica is just a bit overanxious."

"Overanxious? What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked, insulted.

Logan didn't know how to placate both women and sighed in frustration.

"It means you need to chill out!" Trina retorted. "I moved in here and kept Richie because you both said you'd help me with him. Now you want to suddenly criticize me for it? If you want to pick up Richie, then do so. I'm not possessive of my son. I know you love him as much as I do. I don't think it does him any harm to cry for awhile. I don't want him to be coddled and spoiled like I was. But if it bothers you so much, then by all means, _pick him up_!" Trina decided she had said enough and went back to her room. A part of her knew that Veronica's reaction and behavior had less to do with her and Richie and more to do with her miscarriage.

After Trina left, Logan reached for Veronica's hand and pulled her against him. She was stiff and unbending in his arms, but he refused to let her go. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Veronica's eyes filled with tears, and she put her head against his chest and cried. Logan simply held her, relieved she was finally letting out some of the pain she was feeling.

******_The Sinclairs******_

Madison had not been happy to see Dick at the family brunch. Mac, in turn, had not been happy to see her own parents, the Mckenzies, at the brunch. It was a full on surprise attack. She squeezed Dick's hand, grateful that he was there lending her his support.

"Mom. Dad. I didn't know you were coming," Mac said to her parents.

"We're worried, honey," Natalie said to her.

"We don't like what we've been hearing," Sam added.

Mac looked over at Madison's smug face. "Hearing? From who? Madison? Like she can be trusted with the truth!" Mac said sourly.

"You and your best friend have been tormenting me all week!" Madison accused. "I've been pulled over three times, tazered, and publicly humiliated with my school records plastered all over school. A feat only someone with your particular skill set could pull off!"

"Sorry to inform you, Madison, but we attend a university with some really smart people. I am _not_ the only one who knows how to hack into private records!" Mac said in outrage.

"So you didn't help your friend?" Marilyn asked.

Mac couldn't believe this. She had angered and hurt her best friend over this entire mess, and her family was accusing her and believing every thing Madison said. The injustice of it made her fume.

"No, I did not!" Mac exclaimed. "In fact, Veronica and I have been fighting for the first time since we've become friends. She believes Madison's attack on her at Lauren's party caused her miscarriage."

"That's ridiculous!" Madison scoffed. "She had her miscarriage two days after the party!"

"You shouldn't go around attacking pregnant women, Maddie!" Dick said in irritation. He was getting increasingly upset at the way they were talking to Mac.

"Stay out of this, Dick!" Madison yelled.

"I will not!" Dick yelled back. He looked at Mac's parents in disgust. "You know you two can be forgiven because you don't really know Madison. Not like I do. You probably want to think the best of her. Maybe 'cause of guilt for not switching back when you found out about the switch. I don't know. But I've known her our entire lives. And she's a liar. She's the most spiteful, vindictive person I've ever met."

Madison's dad came to her defense and stood up. "That's enough, young man! You will not talk about my daughter like that in my own home!" he said sternly.

"But you'll sit here and let Madison falsely accuse Mac, your real daughter, in your own home?" Dick said pointedly, not at all cowed. No one was going to attack his Mac. "I, for one, believe Madison did kill Veronica's baby. But I love Mac, so I'm on her side no matter what. She's smarter than me, and I trust her. Maybe she's right. But Madison, who you foolishly believe is your perfect little angel, isn't so perfect. In fact, she told Veronica a few days ago that her baby was better off dead!"

Madison's parents (both sets) looked at her in dismay. "I bet she didn't tell you that was the reason why Veronica pulled out her tazer, did she?" Dick asked. "Everyone knows not to piss off Veronica when she's carrying her shoulder bag."

"What kind of girl goes around tazering people?" Marilyn asked in disapproval.

"A girl who's best friend was murdered. Who was almost killed by her boyfriend's father. A girl who was drugged and raped at a party Madison's best friend threw. A girl who was attacked by rapists on our school campus. A girl who was almost shot," Mac listed.

Her parents had the grace to look ashamed.

"Veronica brings most of that on herself. Always butting into other people's business. She was determined to bring down those campus rapist and prove the wrong person was arrested for Lily's murder," Madison said. "She has no business playing cops and robbers. Of course, she's going to get hurt. She presumes entirely too much!"

"Maybe so," Mac conceded. "But at least she's trying to make the world a better place. What are you doing?"

"Okay, let's stop!" Sam Mackenzie said. "We aren't getting anywhere with this fighting. We all care about both of you."

"We don't want you two fighting," Marilyn said.

"I'm not Veronica. I'm not in control of her. She is devastated and not listening to anything I'm saying right now," Mac said. "Madison should avoid her and not bait her by saying cruel things to her when she sees her. That's my advice."

"So she can just keep tormenting me?" Madison asked in outrage.

"You tormented her in high school, Maddie," Dick pointed out. "Throwing her clothes in the toilet when she was taking a shower in the gym locker room. Spreading rumors about her. Writing slut on her car."

"Like you were any better!" Madison yelled. "How many times did you slash the girl's car tires?"

"Yeah, and Veronica has made me suffer plenty for it. She ran over my favorite surf board. She gave me hell for a long time, but we made peace because of Logan. I suggest you do the same," Dick warned. "For Mac's sake. She's her best friend."

Natalie and Sam exchanged glances after hearing Dick's recitation. It upset Natalie to know a girl that she gave birth to could be so cruel. Mac never went out of her way to hurt anybody. Even now, she was trying to reach out to Madison. "This needs to stop," she said quietly to the group. "I don't want to hear anymore about you attacking anyone pregnant or not. Be the bigger person, Madison."

Madison looked stonily away. She wasn't going to just roll over for Veronica Mars.

Mac got up. "I'm not staying for brunch. I'm not coming over here to be attacked. I didn't help Veronica do anything. She lost a baby. She's grieving. And she blames Madison for the miscarriage. If I know Veronica-and I do-, it will get worse before it gets better," Mac said.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Madison asked. "You need to make her stop!"

"No, Madison, you do. You made this mess. You can clean it up. I suggest you apologize and avoid her for awhile," Mac said.

Dick got up to follow her out. They never looked back.

When they made it outside, Dick put his arm around her shoulder. "You did good, Mackie!" he said.

"Thanks so much, Dick. I don't think I could've been so brave without you," she admitted. She leaned up to kiss him. "I love you so much."

"I love you right back, babe!" Dick said with a grin. "Do you want to go grab a bite?"

"Would you be mad if I just had you take me home? I feel exhausted and just wanna go home and decompress," Mac confessed.

"Do you want some company? I can think of a few ways to make you relax," Dick said with leer.

Mac smiled. "How about dinner? Give me most of the day to get out of the ugly mood they put me in. Then you can pick me up at 6pm and take me to dinner," Mac said.

"Then back to your place for some _alone_ time?" Dick asked hopefully.

Mac laughed and opened his truck door. "Of course!" she said.

Dick happily got into the truck and took her home.

******_*Mac, Jazmin, and Parker's Place*_******

Jazmin was in the kitchen trying to make herself eat something when Mac came back home. Jazmin had parted her hair to the side to hide the slight bruise on her cheek where David had hit her. The deception was weighing her down. Even though she hadn't ate since lunch the day before, she pushed away her sandwich after one bite. Her appetite was gone. She looked up when Mac came into the kitchen.

"Back so soon?" she asked.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't stay for any actual eating," Mac said, opening the fridge. She reached inside and grabbed a yogurt. "It was as bad as I thought it would be."

"I'm sorry," Jazmin said with sympathy.

"I guess Veronica had someone hack into Madison's school records, and she managed to convince my family that I was the one who did it," Mac said.

"Who could blame her after what Madison did?" Jazmin said.

Mac was in no mood to defend Madison or the entire mess in her own home. "Look, I don't want to fight. Veronica's not rational right now, and it doesn't help when all her friends just parrot everything she says. It only makes things worse for everyone. Madison did not cause the miscarriage," Mac said flatly.

"I'm not parroting anyone. She is directly or indirectly responsible for the miscarriage. I don't see how you could say otherwise," Jazmin said with a frown.

"You had your miscarriage right after you fell, right?" Mac asked. Jazmin nodded. "If Madison's shove was enough to cause a miscarriage, it would've happened that night. Not two days later."

"Sometimes the baby could be dying and not miscarry for a few days. It's possible. Early pregnancies are fragile. Who could say for sure?" Jazmin asked.

Mac was not in a good mood to begin with, so she didn't have her normal patience. "Medical science," she said flatly. "Please, don't help Veronica in this vendetta. Things are bad enough for me." Mac turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Jazmin felt Mac's disappointment most keenly. Here was another friend she'd inadvertently upset. More self-loathing filled her, and she got up from the table. After throwing her sandwich away, she walked slowly up to her room. She wanted to go to Mac's room and tell her she was sorry for upsetting her, but she couldn't find the energy. What's the use? Nothing she does anymore ever seemed to be right. Feeling more depressed than ever, she walked into her room.

She paused in front of her mirror. Glancing at her image, she saw nothing attractive, nothing loveable. She felt more worthless than she had ever felt in her life. Never had she felt so lost and so very alone. Turning away from her the mirror in disgust, she walked over to her bed, sitting sideways with her feet on the floor. Jazmin didn't know what to do with herself. Normally so full of energy and purpose, she wasn't able to turn off her mind. It kept racing, filled with one image after another. Veronica's look of disappointment. Mac's annoyance. Eli's look of hurt and loathing. David's smirk, his anger, his knife. All the images kept playing on a loop in her head. Other hated memories flashed. Her rape, the events of yesterday all crashed together in her mind. She closed her eyes against the images. It didn't help. The kaleidoscope of painful images all worked together to finally break her. Jazmin wanted so very much to escape the pain, be free of the images. She wanted to be free of the mess she had made of everything.

Jazmin moved to lay down on the bed. Curling up on her side, she closed her eyes hoping to find some peace in sleep. Minutes went by. The minutes turned into hours. She could not stop the images, escape the memories. Not even for a few hours. She found no peace, no relief. Eventually, she opened her dry eyes. Her pain was so deep that she couldn't even cry anymore. She was beyond tears. It was like she was dead inside, a shell of who she used to be. She had no more tears to cry. Nothing inside to give to anyone. Realization hit her. What good was she?

Jazmin didn't consciously reach for the bottle of sleeping pills on her nightstand with the thought to do herself harm. She opened the bottle and poured two pills into her hand. Then she grabbed the water bottle she kept by the lamp on the nightstand and swallowed them down. She started to put the pill bottle down.

Then a voice in her head seemed to whisper, "_Why stop at two? Why not let sleep claim you forever? Why not escape in blissful sleep? Maybe then you'll find some true solace." _She poured four more pills in her hand and swallowed them with a drink of water. In a sudden frenzy, she repeated the action again and again until the bottle was empty. It was done. Finally, it would be over. She would know peace. She laid back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

****_*To Be Continued******_

_I said I was going to take her to the bitter edge. In case, you're unsure, this is it. Thoughts?_


	23. Chapter 23

**I have posted all the chapters I have written, so it may take a full week now for me to update. I have a new teaching job that gives me less free time. However, I didn't keep you waiting too long for this chapter, and I hope to continue to update weekly.**

Chapter 23: At Death's Door

******_Saturday*_******

After dropping Mac off at her house, Dick was at lose ends. He didn't want to go by his fraternity house and deal with Chip or his constant pressure to run for fraternity president. Nor did he want to go home and get in the middle of Veronica and Trina's drama. Dick decided to go by his dad's after grabbing some Chinese take-out. He figured it was close enough to noon to have some lunch. He had left his house without breakfast and never got to eat a bite at the Sinclair's.

Thinking about the Sinclairs still pissed him off. He didn't understand how they couldn't see how perfect Mac was, how lucky they were to have her in their lives. Madison was toxic. He knew that better than anyone. If it hadn't been for both set of parents' idiocy in refusing to switch the daughter's back, he would've grown up knowing Mac. She would've been a part of his and Cassidy's life. Who knows how his brother may have turned out if he'd met Mac earlier? It may have been Cassidy she would've loved and not Dick. If that would've saved his brother, saved all those people he killed, then Dick would've gladly given up Mac's love. Just being a part of her world his whole life and being spared Madison Sinclair as his first may have been enough. Or maybe Mac would've been like a big sister to Cassidy, and Dick would've been her first. Sometimes that thought tormented him.

When Dick spent time thinking about what could've been it depressed him. But it also made him think of his brother and miss him. Going home was the closest he was going to get to his brother, so he carried the boxes of take-out into the house, looking for his dad. He found his dad in his study.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Dick Sr. said, closing the file he was working on when his son came in. "What brings you by?"

"Mac and I went to a crappy brunch at the Sinclairs. It didn't go well, and I didn't eat. Mac was bummed and wanted to go home, so I thought I'd come by and see what you were up to," Dick said. He held up his bag of take-out. "Hungry? I bought Chinese."

His dad smiled. "Sure. Let's take it to the kitchen," he said. They went to the kitchen and dug into the boxes.

"So things are good with you and Mac?" his dad asked.

"Really good. We're going to go out later tonight. She didn't want her bad mood to drag me down," Dick said. "She's awesome like that. Always thinking of others."

"A fine quality to have in a woman," he said. Or a future mother of his grandkids. Now that Dick Sr. had begun to see the benefits of his son's alliance with the Mackenzie girl, who was really a Sinclair, he was anxious to see the relationship succeed.

"Things at the beach house have been a little tense. Veronica lost the baby, and she and Trina are having some issues," Dick shared.

"A miscarriage? I'm sorry to hear that," his dad said with sympathy. "Is the wedding still on?"

"They weren't engaged because of the baby, Dad," Dick said in annoyance. "They love each other. Logan's been nuts about her since our junior year of high school."

"Don't get mad! It was a reasonable question," he said. "Sometimes tragedies drive couples apart."

"Not them!" Dick said loyally.

"Well, you know you can always stay here anytime things get too tense," his dad offered.

"Yeah, I know," Dick replied.

"In fact, I really wish you'd give serious thought to moving back home," his dad said.

"Dad, we've talked about that," Dick said warily.

"Things are different now. I'm traveling more, and I will be traveling even more next year. So I'll be gone weeks at a time. You'd have the place to yourself a lot of the time," his dad said. "Not to mention after Logan gets married, he and Veronica will need some privacy."

Dick realized his dad had a point. It was getting a bit crowded at the beach house. It might not be such a bad thing. "I'll think about it," Dick said.

"You could get Mac to move in with you. That's the logical next step in your relationship," he said.

"Maybe so, but Mac's not ready. We're happy with the way things are now," Dick said.

"Well, maybe by next fall she'll be ready," his dad said. "Or you could get one of your fraternity brothers to move in if you don't want to be in this big house by yourself. It can get kind of lonely."

Dick looked surprised as his dad's rare confession. "It's time for you to get back out there, Dad. Find yourself another cougar or desperate housewife," Dick teased, lightening the mood.

His dad laughed. "I think I wasted enough time and money on women. Now I don't have enough to waste. Time to make some more!" he said.

The two men chatted amiably until there was very little food left. Dick was happy that they could talk like this without the anger or bitterness crowding in. Dick knew his father had not been good at all to Cassidy. More than anyone Dick Sr. was responsible for how Cassidy turned out. Then again, he could blame their mother for not noticing what was going on at that cursed bat camp or whatever his brother was doing with the Sharks. Or blame her for basically abandoning them to their father. There was too much blame and guilt to go around. Dick had finally decided that if he was going to forgive himself for Cassidy, he'd have to forgive his dad, too. He found that letting go of his resentment made the memories of his brother less painful. He could remember the good times. After lunch, he spent a few hours there remembering. It was bittersweet.

******_Eli******_

Eli had spent a miserable two days. He had a terrible hangover Friday from his bender the night before and spent the evening doing a surveillance job, which gave him a lot of time to brood. He got to thinking about what Dick suggested. Maybe Jazmin had been drunk or roofied. Unfortunately, that kind of thing happened too much these days. Thinking about it and picturing different scenarios was making him nuts.

Saturday afternoon, he went into work after running down something for Nico. Nico had noticed Eli's sour mood and finally asked, "What's going on with you? You've been like a bear with a sore tooth the past two days."

"Jazmin and I are over," Eli said flatly.

Nico looked surprised at his announcement. "What? Why?" he asked.

"She cheated on me," Eli shared.

"Bullshit!" Nico said angrily.

"She told me so herself," Eli said, a bit defensively. "She spread her legs for another guy."

Nico got up from behind his desk. "I like you Eli, but if you say something else like that again about my Jazzie-Belle, I'm going to knock your teeth out!" he said angrily.

"Why are you mad at me? You think I like this? You think I like knowing the woman I love is a cheat?" Eli asked.

Nico stepped forward and grabbed Eli by his jacket. "Call her a cheat again, and I will rearrange your face! I mean it! I don't care what she said, she doesn't have it in her to cheat, and if you don't know that, you're a damn fool who doesn't deserve her!" He glared down at Eli and released him with a shove.

"So what am I supposed to think?" Eli asked sourly.

"Start thinking like a detective, Sherlock! Think! Something's not right," Nico said with certainty. "I've known this little girl her entire life. It didn't matter that her father and his friends were criminals or that her first boyfriend was a bad seed. She stayed who she was. She is loyal and kind and honest. This woman is nuts about you. There is no way she would be with another man. At least not willingly."

His words slammed through Eli like a sledgehammer. What if someone had hurt her? What if Dick was right? Why would she not have told him? Why would she have let him think she cheated? It didn't make sense. "I don't like to think that someone hurt her," he said to Nico. "Why wouldn't she tell me if that was the case? Why would she let me think she cheated? I just don't understand."

"Say something like that did happen. What would be the consequences? How would her father react? Or her brother? Or even you? Would she rather suffer in silence or let the men she loved go on the war path?" Nico pointed out.

Eli's mind raced with the possibilities. Then he noticed the time. "I got to go. I promised my grandmother I'd pick up her church clothes at the dry cleaning before it closed," he said.

"Think about what I said," Nico advised.

Eli nodded and left. His mind was busy as he drove to the dry cleaners and picked up his grandmother's clothes. When he arrived at her house, she noticed his distraction and asked him about it. He found himself pouring out the entire story to her. The way Jazmin had been acting the past few weeks, what she finally confessed, and what Dick and Nico had said, all came spilling out.

His grandmother listened with the calm patience she always had. When he had finally finished unburdening himself, she asked, "Do you love this woman?"

"Yes. More than I ever thought I could love anyone," Eli admitted. "That's why this is like a nightmare for me. I thought she loved me the same way."

"With love comes trust, comes faithfulness. If she really loves you, she will be faithful. You must trust that," his grandmother said. "You must talk to her. Find out what's really going on. If you don't, you must give up your plans for the future you want with her. If you don't fight for your future with her, then you don't love her as much as you think you do. Love conquers all. It is patient, it is kind, it is selfless. If your love for her is strong enough, it will withstand anything."

Eli realized his grandmother was right. He needed to go talk to Jazmin. He had to find out what exactly went down and if she really loved him enough to have a future with him. Did he love her enough to forgive her if she had simply cheated on him-drunk or not? Did that excuse it? Would he be able to get past it? He didn't know, but he knew that he had to talk to her. He needed to see her.

"Thanks, Grandma," he said, getting up and kissing her cheek. "I will go talk to her now."

He left and headed over to Jazmin's. Mac answered the door. She was getting ready for her date with Dick. "Hey, Weevil. Come on in," she said casually.

"Is Jazmin home?" he asked.

"I think so. I haven't seen her since before lunch. I think she's up in her room," Mac said.

"Will you go get her? I want to talk to her," Weevil said. Normally, he'd just go up to her room, but he didn't feel he had that right anymore.

Mac understood and went up to Jazmin's room. She knocked on the door. There wasn't an answer.

"Jazmin? Are you in there?" she asked as she opened the bedroom door. Light from the hall showed an outline of her on the bed. Mac turned on the light, but it didn't get a reaction from Jazmin. She was on her side on top of the covers asleep. Since she'd been up there most of the day, Mac didn't see any harm in waking her up. She went over to the side of the bed and gently shook Jazmin's shoulder trying to awaken her. She didn't wake up. Frowning, Mac said, "Jazmin, wake up. Weevil's here to see you." She didn't stir. Growing concerned, Mac bent down and put her head near her ear. "Jazmin! Wake up!" she said loudly. Jazmin still didn't stir. Very worried, she went to the top of the stairs and yelled down, "Weevil, I can't get her to wake up! Come up here!"

Weevil bounded up the stairs, his heart racing. He saw Jazmin on the bed lying so still. He tried to wake her. When it failed, he checked her pulse. He put his head down to her chest to listen. His eyes widened, "Call 911! She's barely breathing. Something's wrong!" Mac grabbed Jazmin's cell off the dresser and dialed. Weevil's eyes fell on the pill bottle on her nightstand. He picked it up. "Here's a bottle of Xanax. It's empty," he said as Mac was on the phone with the 911 operator. Mac relayed the possibility of an overdose to the operator. "She says you should begin CPR until the paramedics get here."

Weevil stood there frozen as the realization of what had happened set in. She was barely breathing. She swallowed a bottle of pills. The horror of the thought immobilized him. He couldn't think. He could only look at her in dismay, struggling to understand what his eyes were telling him.

"Weevil!" Mac yelled. She disconnected the phone and went to him. She had never seen him like that. He looked crushed and frightened. He looked like she felt. She didn't know CPR. She'd never had a reason to learn it, but she'd seen it done on TV. However, she knew that Weevil had CPR training as a P.I. "Weevil, do CPR. She's dying!" Mac yelled, shaking him.

Weevil finally shook off his shock and horror and stepped forward to go to Jazmin. "Call her family," he ordered.

"Oh, God!" Mac exclaimed. How could she call Jason and their dad? The thought terrified her. She picked up Jazmin's phone and searched her contacts. She dialed Jason first. It went to voicemail. Today was the day of the funeral for Daisy's cousin. She left a message, "Jason, you need to come home as soon as possible. Something's happened to Jazmin. I just called 911." She called Daisy and got her voicemail. She left the same message. Finding her courage, she dialed the number that said "Dad".

"How are you, sweetheart?" Sebastian Jaleno said.

"Sir, this isn't Jazmin. This is her roommate Mac. Cindy Mackenzie," Mac said quickly.

Sebastian frowned. Why was his daughter's roommate calling him? "What's wrong?" he asked, not wasting time on pleasantries. She was calling him from his daughter's phone. He knew something was wrong.

"Something has happened to Jazmin. She isn't waking up. I called 911," Mac said. "Jason is in Puerto Rico, so I thought I should call and let you know."

"Jason is in Puerto Rico? Why?" he asked.

Mac hadn't realized it was a secret and cringed. "Oh, uh, well, his girlfriend had to go to a funeral in Puerto Rico, and he went with her. I called him, but I couldn't reach him. I left him a message," she said.

"I will be there as soon as possible. Thank you for calling," he said grimly before disconnecting.

It was just a few short minutes before the paramedics arrived and took over for Weevil. "What the hell happened, Mac?" he asked as they followed the paramedics downstairs.

Mac was sick with guilt. She had been so caught up in her own family drama that she hadn't grown concerned when Jazmin was in her room all afternoon. "I don't know," she said. Mac grabbed her purse and keys to follow the ambulance.

Dick was pulling up as they were coming outside. He had went home to change clothes, but things were still tense at the house, so he'd decided to just head over to Mac's. His heart filled with fear when he saw the flashing ambulance in front of Mac's place. However, he saw her and Weevil on the porch and relaxed slightly. He parked the truck and left the engine on. "What's going on?" he yelled.

"It's Jazmin," Mac said. She went to him and hugged him. They watched the paramedics load her into the ambulance. "Weevil, let's ride with Dick. You shouldn't be driving."

Dick agreed and they got into his truck. "You should call everyone," Dick suggested.

Mac agreed and began making calls.

For his part, Eli couldn't believe this was happening. Jazmin was so miserable that she swallowed a bottle of pills. "What have I done?" he whispered from the backseat.

"What?" Dick asked, not hearing Weevil.

"She swallowed a bottle of Xanax, Dick. Why did she even have a bottle of Xanax? She is so unhappy that she tried to kill herself!" he said bitterly. "How did this happen?"

Dick was not the person to answer such a question. He was just coming to terms with his brother's suicide and was not prepared to lose a friend to the same horror. Jazmin was sweet and beautiful. Everyone liked her. He couldn't imagine what would cause her to do such a thing. He looked at Mac, who was trying not to cry. She shook her head. She didn't understand either. Dick reached over and squeezed her hand.

It wasn't long before they were in the ER waiting room. They had told the nurse about the pill bottle. Weevil had the foresight to hold on to it and give it to the nurse. Now they were waiting.

Veronica and Logan arrived.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Veronica asked, holding on to Logan's hand.

Since Weevil looked like he wanted to hit someone, she directed her question to Mac.

"We don't know anything yet," Mac said.

"So what happened?" Logan asked.

Duncan arrived before they could answer. "Is she okay? What happened?" he asked them.

"Mac was just about to explain," Logan said.

However, before she could, Wallace and Thea arrived. "What's going on? Is Jazmin alright?" Wallace asked in concern.

Veronica let out a sigh. "Where's Parker? We should wait for her," Veronica said.

"I called her. She won't be here right away. She's in the middle of something, but she say she'll be here within the hour," Mac said.

"So what's going on? Is Jazmin okay?" Wallace asked again.

"No, she's not! She's in the damn hospital!" Weevil exclaimed angrily.

Wallace held up his hands. "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm just concerned," Wallace said.

"We all are. She's going to be fine," Veronica said confidently.

When Mac didn't say anything but looked at Weevil, Veronica grew worried. "She will, right?" she asked.

"She was barely breathing, Veronica. We don't know. There was an empty bottle of Xanax on her nightstand. The prescription wasn't very old, but the bottle was empty," Mac revealed. "We think she tried to commit suicide."

"What?" Veronica asked in disbelief. She looked at Weevil, who looked equally devastated and enraged.

"I don't understand," Duncan said with a frown. "Why would she want to commit suicide? What's wrong?"

The group was silent. No one wanted to say it out loud. Finally, Mac said, "She and Weevil broke up. That's the only thing I know of."

"So this is my fault? I drove her to suicide?" Weevil asked in outrage. He had been thinking that but to hear someone else voice it was like a knife in his gut.

"No! That's not what I'm saying!" Mac said, upset. They were all upset. "I'm her roommate. I didn't even bother to see why she hadn't left her room for hours."

"Suicide is never about one thing. It's always a combination of many things," Thea said soothingly. Wallace had told her about Jazmin's infidelity, and she'd had a hard time believing it. Now she wondered, "Maybe her guilt was too much."

"Guilt?" Dick asked.

"If she cheated on Weevil and felt sick over it, maybe it was too much," Thea said.

"I thought you said it was never about one thing," Dick said.

"It wouldn't be," Thea said. "Veronica lost a baby recently. Maybe it brought back too many bad memories. Maybe she wasn't trying to die, just feel better. A lot of overdoses are done accidental. Normally those that really want to die do so in a dramatic fashion that they can't come back from."

"Like taking a nosedive off a extremely high building," Dick supplied grimly. Once Cassidy had jumped there had been no chance to save him, no chance for him to change his mind.

Thea nodded.

"We shouldn't speculate until we talk to her," Mac said.

"If we get a chance to," Weevil said bitterly.

"Where's Jason?" Duncan asked, looking around.

"He's in Puerto Rico with Daisy. Her cousin died," Veronica said. "Did you call him?"

"Yes. I didn't reach him or Daisy. I left messages," Mac said. "I got a hold of her dad though. He's on his way."

"Their dad is coming here?" Dick asked in alarm. The man totally intimidated him. He couldn't imagine the man would handle the news well.

"Yes, of course. She's his daughter," Mac said.

"We should keep calling Jason until we reach him," Wallace suggested. "If he sees enough missed calls, he's bound to check in." They all pulled out their phones to call. It gave them something to do when they felt so helpless.

Veronica, however, went over to Weevil. She reached out and touched his arm. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"It was awful, V. She was so still. We couldn't get her to wake up," Weevil said, his eyes filled with pain. "Mac called 911 and I was frozen. I couldn't move. I just couldn't believe it was happening."

"I can imagine," Veronica said. She knew all too well how he must've felt.

"I finally started doing CPR on her. Her pulse was so slow. When I found the bottle of pills, I couldn't believe it. This is my fault! I was angry when she told me she slept with someone else. I said cruel things. She was crying and begged me to forgive her. I couldn't even look at her," Weevil said bitterly, his own eyes moist as he recalled his last painful conversation with her.

Veronica had to fight back her own tears as she felt Weevil's pain. "We are not responsible for someone else's choices," she said with conviction. Although she felt a pang of guilt, too, for what Jazmin did, she believed too strongly that people were responsible for their choices.

"You know when I told Dick about what she did, he didn't believe it. When I told Nico, he almost hit me for suggesting she was a cheat. Yet I didn't question it at all when she told me," Weevil admitted. "What if they're right? What if she was roofied or something? What if she had sex with someone she can't even remember clearly?"

Veronica's face reflected her surprise at the thought. She had thought there was something off about the whole thing, but she'd not taken time to dive into it. If she found out it was something like that, she'd be really upset with herself. After what had happened to her and to Parker and the other girls on campus, that should've been the first thing that she thought of. She had been so caught up in her own life and then losing the baby that she hadn't taken time to look closely. "Whatever the case, we'll find out. We'll help her," Veronica said. She gave Weevil a hug.

Weevil couldn't believe this was happening. Had it been guilt that drove her to this? Or maybe pain. Maybe she had been hurt and none of them noticed or did anything. But he _had_ noticed. He had tried to help her. But it hadn't been enough. Anger at Jason rose up inside of him. Jason had completely dismissed his concern. And now look at what happened.

After an hour of waiting and pacing, the doctor came in. "Is Jazmin Jaleno's family here?" he asked looking around.

"I'm her roommate. Her dad is in Chicago. He's on his way. Her family is all out of state," Mac supplied.

"Is she okay?" Weevil asked.

"We pumped her stomach. She had a seizure and went into respiratory depression. We gave her Flumazenil to treat the effects of the Xanax overdose. However, she is unresponsive," the doctor said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Weevil asked, clenching his fist.

"She never regained consciousness. She slipped into a coma," the doctor said grimly.

"Coma?" Weevil repeated in disbelief as the word reverberated through him. This was like a nightmare. How did he get to this place? Was he going to lose her for good?

"Oh God!" Mac exclaimed. She turned to Dick, who pulled her against his chest.

Dick felt sick and once again helpless. First, Ronnie lost her baby, and now Jazmin may die. He feared his mother may be right. What would be the third tragedy?

*****_*To Be Continued******_

_Thanks so much for all of you who continue to review and read! It keeps me motivated._


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Blame Game

*****_*Neptune Memorial Hospital*_*******

After about two hours of waiting in the waiting room, they had finally said Jazmin could have visitors. She was in the ICU and only two visitors were allowed at a time. Weevil and Veronica went in first. Weevil still couldn't believe this had happened. She was hooked up to monitors and was lying there so still.

"She looks like she's just asleep," Veronica observed. She went over to her side and picked up her hand. "Like Sleeping Beauty."

Weevil walked over to the other side of the bed. He brushed back her hair and bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips. She didn't stir. "Not Sleeping Beauty. She's still in a coma," he said sourly. Then something caught his eye. He looked down at her face and frowned. "Look at her face. There's a bruise."

Veronica looked down. He was right. "We'll have to ask Mac about it. Maybe she knocked into something," Veronica said.

Weevil thought about it. "You know a few weeks ago she had a similar bruise on her face. She told me she'd been clumsy and ran into the door," Weevil said. They had put her in a hospital gown. When she'd arrived, she'd had on a long sleeve t-shirt. The hospital gown left her arms bare. Weevil grabbed her hand and moved her arm. What he saw made him see red. "Look at her damn arms, Veronica!"

Veronica's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the bruises. It looked like fingerprints. "Someone has grabbed her arm very roughly," she observed. She reached down and pushed the call button. A nurse soon appeared. "Do you know who changed her into this gown? We noticed some bruises on her arms and face. I was wondering if she had bruises anywhere else?"

Weevil looked equally sick and angry as he realized the implication. "Can we move her and check?" he asked.

The nurse nodded. "We did notice some other marks," the nurse admitted. She moved the sleeve of Jazmin's gown all the way up and revealed a rectangular shaped bruise. "She has a few like this on her back."

"Oh my God!" Veronica said. "I'll be back. Logan has to see this."

She went into the waiting room. "Logan, come here. Quick!" she urged. He got up in concern at her expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I need you to go and look at Jazmin's bruises. Tell me if my suspicions are wrong. Please," Veronica said, her eyes filled with sorrow and wet with tears.

Logan was very alarmed and went into the room where Jazmin was while Veronica got out her phone to call her dad. He needed to be here.

Logan knew without having to look closely what had happened to Jazmin. The hand prints on her arms and the belt mark were eerily familiar. Someone had roughly grabbed her and beat her. Weevil looked ready to explode. The nurse was raising the bed. She braced Jazmin's front with her hand. With her other hand, she pushed Jazmin forward and peeled back the back of the gown that was tied at the neck. Two large welts were visible on her back.

Logan and Weevil looked in grim silence. After the nurse had put the bed back down and gave them a sad smile, she left.

"Someone has taken a belt to her," Logan said. "I recognize the pattern very well."

"Belt? How? I just don't understand," Weevil said, perplexed and upset. What the hell was going on with his girlfriend? How could he have let this happen?

"It was my dear ole dad's weapon of choice," Logan said. "Veronica and I watched him take a belt once to a boyfriend of Trina's that was knocking her around."

Weevil thought Logan was trying to imply something. "I have never knocked her around!" he said angrily.

Logan held up a hand. "I didn't think you had, but someone is going to ask," he warned.

The two men left the room and headed back to the waiting room.

Parker and Piz had arrived-much to Duncan's annoyance. He didn't like witnessing her clinging to Piz. Parker got up when Weevil appeared. "Can I go see her?" she asked Weevil. He nodded. Holding onto Piz's hand for comfort, they went into the ICU room.

"What's going on?" Mac asked, noticing the grim faces. She directed her question to Veronica and looked pointedly at Logan and Weevil.

Wallace, Thea, Dick, and Duncan got up to hear the news. Logan gave Veronica a nod. It was what she thought. "Did Jazmin mention getting hurt to you?" she asked Mac.

Mac shook her head. "No. Why?" she asked.

"She's got a bruise on her face. Bruises on her arm like someone's grabbed her," Veronica said.

"And she's got welts on her back," Weevil finished.

"What?" Mac asked in shocked.

"What the hell have you been doing to her?" Duncan asked angrily. His question directed to Weevil. "First, I'm supposed to believe she cheated on you. And now someone's hurting her? What? Did you need to punish her for stepping out?"

Weevil took an angry step forward. Logan and Dick both quickly stepped between them. "Not the time or the place!" Logan warned.

"No, I haven't been hurting Jazmin! Say that again, and I'll give _you_ a beating like you've never known!" Weevil warned. "I would _never_ hurt her! Not for anything!"

Veronica glared at Duncan. "What's wrong with you, Duncan? Of course, it's not Weevil! Jazmin would never be with a man who manhandled her. Not after Joseph. You should know better," Veronica scolded.

"Well, what am I supposed to think?" Duncan said defensively. "She tried to kill herself. I suddenly hear she stepped out on Weevil and now you tell me she's been beat?"

"Something's going on," Logan said with a frown. "This doesn't add up."

"She was really upset last week when I took her surfing," Dick said. "She didn't seem angry at Weevil. Only herself."

"She kept saying she hated herself," Weevil shared. "She said she had sex with a guy she hated and wished it had never happened."

They all looked at each other thinking. Before anyone could speculate, Keith Mars arrived. Veronica, Logan, and Weevil walked over to him to tell him what was happening.

Mac turned to Dick. "Why didn't I know, Dick? What's wrong with me? How could I be so self-centered?" she asked.

Dick frowned. He didn't like anyone insulting her, not even herself. "Self-centered? You're not self-centered!" he exclaimed.

"Dick, I live with her. I'm one of her closest friends, and I had no clue she was this upset nor did I know she'd been hurt by someone," Mac said, her face stricken.

Thea and Wallace were listening. "You know the guy my mom was dating that summer I moved into the beach house was manhandling my mom. She didn't tell me about it and tried to lie when I noticed the bruise," Wallace recalled.

"That's not unusual when someone's being abused," Thea remarked. "My mom's a nurse and has mentioned seeing that more than once in the hospital that she works at."

"Why would Jazzie let anyone hurt her? She's got an insanely protective brother and a mega scary daddy," Dick questioned. "Not to mention her closest friend carries a tazer and isn't shy about using it."

"Uh, speaking of her dad," Mac said elbowing Dick. He looked and blanched. Jazmin and Jason's dad had walked in. His body guard stopped in the doorway behind him.

Sebastian Jaleno walked determinedly toward Veronica. "Where's my daughter? Is she okay?" he asked anxiously.

"She's in ICU," Veronica shared. She looked to her father for help. She had never had to tell a father this kind of news.

"Your daughter is in a coma," Keith told him. "Come. We'll go find her doctor."

"Oh, God! I feel sick," Mac said. "Her dad is going to blame me! He's going to flip when he finds everything out."

Not very far away, the man in question was trying hard to listen to what the doctor was telling him. The Sheriff had tried to tell him his baby swallowed a bottle of pills. Now the doctor was telling him she wasn't responding as well as he would like. They didn't get her stomach pumped early enough.

"I want to see my daughter. Now!" Sebastian ordered, interrupting the doctor.

Keith decided it would be better to prepare the man in case he noticed the bruises. "Sir, before you go to see her, I need to tell you something," Keith said.

Sebastian listened as the Sheriff told him about the bruises just discovered on his daughter. His daughter had called him to start the investigation. Keith assured him that he'd find out what was going on.

Sebastian felt his fear turn to a deep seated rage. "Someone has been hurting my daughter?" he asked in a clipped voice.

Keith gave him a wary look. Here was a man with deadly, criminal connections whose daughter could die. Kieth feared that this would not end well. "I don't have all the facts and won't until your daughter regains consciousness. But it appears that someone has."

Sebastian nodded. "I will go see her now," he said, dismissing the sheriff. Although he appreciated the novelty of having a law man actually want to help him for once, he could think only of his daughter. His sweet Jazmin. His perfect little angel. How did this happen? He walked into her room to find the roommate and her boyfriend there.

Mac wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see her. We'll go," Mac said. She and Dick left the man alone with his daughter. Neither were ready to have a conversation with the man.

Sebastian grabbed the chair and pulled it next to the bed. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at his precious baby girl. She had oxygen in her nose and an IV along with a heart monitor and other things he didn't know. He had tried to get his wife to come, but she hadn't believed anything was seriously wrong. He reached down and picked up his daughter's lifeless hand. He squeezed it and kissed it. "Ah, baby, what have you done?" he wondered aloud.

******_Puerto Rico******_

Jason pulled himself away from yet another one of Daisy's relatives. He had thought Italians had a lot of relatives. Since he'd arrived yesterday, he had met relative after relative. However, he was glad he came because the look on Daisy's face when he'd made his appearance yesterday had made everything else fade away. He had never really noticed how she lit up when he was around. Yesterday, when she'd been surrounded by family, he had been led into the room by her mother. When she saw him, her face was so open, so relieved, so happy that he had blinked at the transformation. Her reaction to his presence wasn't lost on her family either. They had taken turns grilling him and a few had given him subtle warnings to never hurt her. He had taken it all goodnaturedly. He had a sister, so he understood where they were coming from.

After the service and dinner with her family, he pulled out his cell and turned it on. He blinked when he saw all the missed calls. He began to listen to his messages in growing horror. His sister was in the hospital. He couldn't believe it. His sister was in the hospital. The thought kept whirling around in his mind like an echo. It crashed over him like a dream. A dream he never wanted to dream. The last message Mac left said his sister was in a coma. He gripped the phone so tight that he heard a crack. Disbelief filled him.

The last message was from his dad. "Jason, you had better be on the next plane back to Neptune or you will regret it," his father threatened.

Jason blanched. He knew that he was already going to be regretting so much. His sister in a coma? He honestly couldn't wrap his mind around it. He sat down in an empty chair, his legs suddenly giving out. He'd only been gone a day. He didn't understand. What the hell had happened? Surely, this was a nightmare.

Daisy came over. "What's wrong?" she asked, seeing his face.

"I have to go back to Neptune. Jazmin's in the hospital. She's in a coma," Jason said, his face pale.

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"I had a dozen missed calls on my phone. You probably have some, too," he said grimly.

"What happened?" Daisy asked.

"I don't know. Something about her taking some pills. I don't understand. I'm sorry. I'm going to have to go," he said.

"I'll go with you," Daisy said without hesitation. She and Jazmin may not get along, but she understood that his sister meant everything to him. He had been there for her today, and she would do the same for him.

He nodded, feeling grateful. "I'll call the airlines," he said.

"I'll go explain to my mom and family," Daisy said. She leaned down and gave him a kiss. "It's going to be okay."

He stood up and gave her a hug. He hoped so. He really did.

*****_*Back in Neptune*_******

Sebastian carefully walked back to the waiting room where his daughter's so called friends were waiting. He had examined his daughter's body and the sight of her bruises brought him to a level of rage he hadn't been in since she'd lost her baby. Someone had driven her to this point.

"How are you going to play this?" Michael, his trusted friend and bodyguard asked.

"Someone is going to pay. If she dies, they will all pay," Sebastian said harshly. Gone was every trace of the teddy bear of a man that loved life and loved people. In his place was the man only his enemies and adversaries ever saw.

He stopped in the doorway of the waiting room. His children's friends were scattered around the room. The sheriff was talking to Eli. He'd get to him. First, he approached his daughter's roommates.

"I would like the two of you to explain to me how my daughter got to this point and no one called me. No one tried to help her," he accused.

Parker and Mac exchanged guilty looks. "We had no idea," Parker said.

"I wasn't home for a week. I was with Dick at his parents. Then this past week I've had some family drama. She never said a word," Mac said softly. Her eyes were tormented. She felt horrible as she recalled her last conversation with Jazmin. She'd been sharp with her. Had it been the final push?

Sebastian didn't care. These people were supposed to be his daughter's friends. "So you both are so self-involved that you can't be bothered to notice when your friend is being abused? When she is so miserable she wants to end her life? You're so busy that she can't turn to you?" he asked harshly.

For a moment no one spoke. Everyone on some level felt the man had a right to his anger. Finally, Veronica stepped up to him, her eyes filled with tears. "Last Monday I lost my baby. So I think everyone was more focused on me," she shared. "I'm sorry. I did talk to her though this week and last week. She lied to me. She actually made up a story about her cheating on Weevil. I had no real idea someone had hurt her." It was now clear to Veronica that Jazmin hadn't simply stepped out on Weevil. There was much more to the story.

At the mention of his daughter's boyfriend, his anger kicked up a notch. Before anyone could realize what he was going to do, he had Eli by his throat, slamming his head into the wall. "What did you do to her? I swear I will end your life if I find out you had anything to do with what has happened to her!" he yelled.

Keith and Logan moved to yank Sebastian off of him but were intercepted by the bodyguard. Keith put his hand on his gun. "I don't think you need to interfere," Keith warned.

"You are supposed to love my daughter, cherish her. Yet she wants to die! Explain that to me!" he demanded angrily.

With a flick of his wrist, he threw Eli to the ground where he took a harsh breath, his hand on his throat.

"Mr. Jaleno, you need to calm down," Keith warned.

"Calm down? Were you calm when your daughter was in the hospital?" he asked. "But she wasn't in a coma. She wasn't ignored by all the people who are supposed to care about her and watch out for her!"

Eli slowly got to his feet. Logan reached out a hand to help him, but he ignored it. A part of him felt that he deserved every bit of the man's scorn and blame. His love hadn't been enough. His anger and jealousy had gotten the best of him on Thursday. He had said cruel things to her. She had felt so hurt and so alone that she decided swallowing a bottle of pills was preferable to telling him what was going on.

He faced her father. He wasn't going to hide from his part in this. "Sir, I love your daughter more than my own life! I would never hurt her or touch her in anger! I swear on my grandmother's life! I have spent the past three weeks trying to figure out what has been going on with her. I told Jason. I told Veronica. I begged her to talk to me. She had excuses that made sense. Then on Thursday she admitted she'd been with another man, but she wouldn't tell me who," Eli said. "Not that it excuses me because I _am _to blame. And I'll never forgive myself if she dies." He held Sebastian's gaze for a moment and then walked out of the waiting room.

Sebastian still wasn't satisfied. His eyes went around the room. "Get out! All of you! My daughter doesn't need friends like you in her life. Friends that are too busy or too uncaring or self-involved to notice when she's falling apart. Too busy to notice when someone is hurting her! I don't want you near her! Leave now!" he yelled, flashing his gaze at all of them.

Parker was sobbing and practically fled the room. Wallace and Thea followed her. Duncan frowned but followed suit. Dick looked scared and tugged on Mac's hand. He didn't needed to be told twice. The man terrified him. Mac walked up to Sebastian.

"We love your daughter. We really do. We just didn't see. I don't think she wanted us to," Mac said, tears coursing down her cheeks. Then she let Dick lead her out of the room, his arm around her.

Veronica crossed her arms and gave Jazmin's father a determined look. "I am not going anywhere! And you can't make me!" she informed him. "Sorry if the loss of my baby distracted me. I am only human. But you can rest assured, I am going to find out what happened. Whoever's been hurting her will pay!"

"That's my job, Veronica. Not yours," Keith warned, giving her a pointed look. Then he looked at Sebastian. "I'm going to interview her teachers. See if anyone at school noticed anything between her and any of her classmates. When Jason arrives, I'll want to talk to him." He kissed Veronica on the cheek. "Don't push the man, sweetheart."

Logan took Veronica's hand. "Let's go get something to eat in the cafeteria," he suggested. He didn't like the look Mr. Jaleno was giving them and figured the man could use some space.

They walked out of the room. They met Dick and Mac at the elevators. "We're going down to the cafeteria. You should join us. We need to figure out a timeline," Veronica said to them.

"We should leave. That man is scarey!" Dick exclaimed. "I don't want to be killed and have my body disappear!"

Mac gave him a small smile. He never failed to make her smile. "He's not going to hurt us," she assured him.

"You don't know that, Mackie! He's a mobster! Haven't you watched _The Godfather_? Or _Donnie Brasco_?" Dick asked.

"He's not in Chicago, babe," Mac said. "Besides, movies exaggerate for dramatic effect." Dick didn't look very reassured.

They got into the elevator, and Veronica pushed the button to the first floor where the cafeteria was located.

"Would you be saying that if Jazmin dies?" Dick asked.

Veronica slapped his arm hard. "Don't say that!" she yelled.

"Ow! Logan, control your woman!" Dick complained rubbing his arm.

"Control your mouth," Logan replied without missing a beat.

"I refuse to believe God would be so cruel!" Veronica said vehemently. "Haven't I lost enough?"

Logan put his arm around her and hugged her to him. They both had. He prayed that if God was listening, He'd not take another person Veronica loved. He wasn't sure she'd survive it with her heart intact.

******_*Chapter End*_******

_Thanks so much to all of you who take time to review! It keeps me motivated and inspired. I know this story is heavy on the angst, but I hope it's keep you entertained. Before you judge Sebastian too harshly for his reaction, put yourself in his shoes._


	25. Chapter 25

**The last chapter broke the 20 reviews barrier! Thanks so much! I'm glad you're still reading even though this has been an emotional journey. I will balance the next chapter with other storylines I've been developing. Madison has not been forgotten!**

**I'd like to thank Silverling26 for pointing out that the word is "welts" and not "whelps"! Sometimes my hillbilly roots just can't be eradicated no matter how much education I get! :) I did correct it! In my family, we always called it "whelps". But a whelp does NOT mean bruise! Yes, I had to look it up! LOL!**

Chapter 25: A Brother's Burden

Jason and Daisy arrived in Neptune at three in the morning on Sunday. Jason headed straight to the hospital. He tried to get Daisy to go home and rest, but she refused. She was determined to give him the support he had given her the past week. They headed into the ICU waiting room to see if anyone they knew was there.

Jason saw Veronica curled up against Logan asleep. "Veronica," he said. Logan opened his eyes.

"Hey. You made it," Logan said. He nudged Veronica awake. She opened her eyes.

"What the hell's going on?" Jason asked, obviously distraught.

Veronica sat up and yawned. She waved at Daisy. "Hey, chica," Daisy said.

"Your sister was found yesterday around four unconscious and barely breathing by Mac and Weevil," Logan said. "They called 911, and Weevil gave her CPR."

Jason nodded. "I got her message. She called me, but my phone was off," Jason said with a grimace.

"Right now she's in a coma," Veronica said sadly. "She swallowed a bottle of Xanax. They pumped her stomach, but she went into respiratory depression. I think she had a seizure, too."

Jason sat down next to her. "I don't understand. What's going on? Why in the world would she do such a thing? I was only gone one f***ing day!" he exclaimed angrily.

Veronica exchanged a look with Logan. Someone needed to fill the poor guy in, but it wasn't going to be pretty. "Thursday, she told Weevil that she'd had sex with another guy," Veronica shared.

Daisy looked surprised but Jason disbelieving. "Yeah, right. Never in a million years. Not only would Eli have mentioned it to me, but she would've. Not that she'd ever cheat. What's really going on?" he asked.

"Weevil said he's been trying to tell you that something was wrong with your sister, but you dismissed his concerns," Veronica said.

Jason looked stricken at the reminder. "Yes. I..well..when I asked her she said she was fine that she had PMS. Then Eli told me about a pregnancy scare, so I thought that was why she was acting weird. I figured it brought back all those memories of her miscarriage," he explained. How could she have kept so much from him? How did he not see?

Daisy felt a bit guilty. "I probably took up some of his attention, too," she admitted.

"The day I had my miscarriage I was confronting Jazmin about her odd behavior. She seemed distressed and unhappy. I guessed that she was so worried about being pregnant because she didn't know if the baby was Weevil's," Veronica shared.

"What? She said that was the case?" Jason asked, feeling sick.

"Wait until you hear everything before jumping to the same conclusions that I did. I didn't dig further and now look where she's at," Veronica said grimly. "I told her Wednesday that if she didn't tell Weevil, I would. I also suggested to Weevil that he go talk to her. When he did on Thursday, she told him she'd had sex with another guy. As you can imagine he was devastated and angry. She wouldn't tell him who it was just that it was someone she hated."

Jason got to his feet. "My sister doesn't go around having sex with guys she hates! She especially doesn't go around cheating on her boyfriends, especially when it's Eli!" he fumed.

"We know! Calm down!" Logan said. No one was going to blame Veronica for this. He was still pissed at Jason's dad for throwing around accusations. Veronica had been through enough the past week. She couldn't save the world or be all things to all people. Sometimes she had to take care of herself first.

"Jason, there's something you have to know," Veronica said warily. She glanced at Daisy who was watching Jason in concern. "We found bruises on her. Someone's been hurting her. She has a bruise on her face. Last night we noticed bruises of fingerprints on her arm. She also had bruises on her back like someone took a belt to her."

"What?" Jason asked in horror. He looked at Daisy, who got up and put her arm around him. She didn't even like Jazmin and felt a bit ill at the news she was hearing, so she could imagine how hard this was for Jason.

"None of us have any idea what's been going on. She's not said a word to anyone," Veronica said with compassion. "I'm so sorry."

"It gets worse," Logan said. "Your dad is here."

"He is?" Jason asked warily.

"He left a few hours ago. I think he went to a hotel. I'm sure he'll be back this morning," Logan said.

"He's really angry. He made everyone leave," Veronica said.

"But not you?" Daisy asked.

"He tried," she said flatly.

Daisy grinned, imagining that confrontation.

"You can go get some rest. I'm here now," Jason said. "Thanks for staying."

Veronica got up and gave him a hug. "She's strong, Jason. She's going to pull through this."

"She's in room 308, but visiting hours don't start until six," Logan shared.

"Like they're going to keep me out of my sister's room," Jason said crossly.

"Call me if there's any changes," Veronica said. "We'll come back this afternoon."

Jason and Daisy said goodbye and headed to the patients' rooms. A nurse stopped them. "Visiting hours are over," she said.

"My twin sister is Jazmin Jaleno, and I _am_ going to see her. We just flew in from Puerto Rico," Jason said.

"Well, we can make an exception for family," the nurse said.

"How is she?" Jason asked.

"No change. She hasn't gotten worse, so that's good. Hopefully, she'll wake up soon," the nurse said. She led them to Jazmin's room.

Jason stood in the doorway, afraid to enter. He just couldn't believe it. Daisy put her hand on his back in encouragement. "It's okay," she said softly.

"But it's not. That's my twin in there. She's in a coma. She could die," Jason said darkly.

"She won't," Daisy said confidently. She gave him a little nudge. "Go in and see her."

Jason went closer. She was hooked up to machines. He picked up her hand and looked down at her. He saw the bruise on her face. Then he moved her arm until he saw the bruises they had told him about. Heartbroken at the sight, he collapsed in the chair next to her bed without letting go of her hand. "I don't understand," he whispered. "What's happening?"

Daisy went to the other side of the bed and lifted up her shoulder, careful not to disturb any of the IV's or wires. She peeled back the gown and flinched. A part of her thought they had to be mistaken, but the welts were obvious. Someone really had hurt her. The sight was jarring.

Jason felt like he was holding on by a thread as he looked at the final proof of just how badly he'd failed his sister. "Daisy, I appreciate you being here for me, but I think you should take the car and go home and get some rest. Come back in a few hours," he told her.

"I don't want to leave you here alone," she said with a frown.

"I'd like some time alone with my sister," Jason said quietly, looking away from Daisy and down at his sister. "I am having trouble wrapping my mind around this."

Daisy looked at him with compassion and understanding. She could see the naked grief in his eyes, and it broke her heart. She walked around the bed and put her hand on his shoulder. "Okay, if that's what you need," she said softly. "I'll come back in a few hours and bring you some coffee."

"Thanks," he said.

She bent down and kissed him. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," he said, giving her a bittersweet smile.

Daisy reluctantly left after he handed her the car keys.

Jason looked at his sister and closed his eyes a minute at the sight of her still form. "I failed you," he whispered. "I'm so sorry." He moved the chair closer to the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her as best as the position would allow. He just wanted to feel close to her again. It was obvious that he no longer was if she hadn't came to him when someone hurt her. He laid his head down on her lap and broke down. He had failed her. "Please, don't die, Jazzie. I need you." It had only ever been the two of them. She was his other half. She held his compassion, his heart, his ability to laugh and remain unjaded no matter what the world threw at them. If she died, he would never forgive himself. Nor could he see surviving the loss. It'd destroy him-at least anything good in him. "Please, God, please, don't take her from me. She's all that I have," he cried. His relationship with Daisy was new and exciting, but it hadn't been a part of him for long. He hadn't learned yet to depend on it. And now the pain and guilt consumed him as he cried out his sorrow. He had been so focused on himself, on Daisy that he hadn't even noticed that his sister was in pain. Eli had tried to tell him, and he'd all but laughed in his face. His sister loved him fiercely. This he knew. She'd never willingly do anything to hurt him. Not in the nineteen years that they'd come out of the womb practically holding hands had she purposely hurt him. She scolded and sometimes bullied him if he was straying from the path she saw for him, but she'd never tried to hurt him. Her love and support were his one true constant. So no one could understand more than him just had bad her pain must've been if she'd tried to escape it by taking a bunch of pills. Jason refused to believe that she really wanted to die, to leave him. Her misery had driven her to such a rash action. Now he prayed desperately that she'd not be taken from him. That he'd get a chance to make it up to her-a chance to help her and protect her.

*****_*A Few Hours Later*_*****

Eli went in at dawn to check on Jazmin. Visiting hours began at six, and he wasted no time. Disappointment crashed through him when the nurse told him that there still wasn't any change. He slowly walked down the hall to her room. It surprised him to see Jason back already. He had fallen asleep holding onto his sister. The poignant sight pierced him for a moment until he hardened his heart against it. He wasn't going to feel compassion for Jason. As far as Eli was concerned, Jazmin wouldn't be here if Jason had listened to him. He'd tried more than once to get Jason to discover what was going on. Jason was too smart and naturally too intuitive to be fooled no matter how deceptive Jazmin was being. Not if he'd really wanted answers or actually tried to get them. But he'd been too concerned with getting laid.

Eli walked to the other side of the bed and bent down to kiss her check. "Wake up, Princess, my Sleeping Beauty. Show me those beautiful eyes," he said. If she heard him, there was no sign.

However, Jason heard him and raised his head, his face still ravaged with sorrow. "Hey," Jason said.

Eli nodded slightly, not wanting to speak to the man. His anger was so strong that he was afraid of it spilling out in front of Jazmin.

Jason was good at reading body language and was aware of the anger that was coursing through Eli. He couldn't blame him. He was angry with himself, too. However, he had to know one thing. "Why didn't you tell me that she told you she'd been with another guy?" he asked. "I'd have known something wasn't right."

Eli glared over at him. His nerve galled Eli. How dare he? "You are un****ing believable!"

"How is she?" a voice from the doorway called, interrupting them.

They looked and saw Mac and Dick. "The nurse said only two could stay in the room, but I wanted to come down and check on her," an exhausted looking Mac said.

Jason got up. "She seems peaceful, but she's not woken up or stirred," he said.

Mac went over and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, Jay. I just didn't realize she was so upset. I had no idea. I feel just awful," she said against his chest.

"No one feels worse than I," Jason said, looking down at her. "I'm the one that should've known."

"You're damn right!" Eli exclaimed, finally speaking to him. "I spent the past few weeks telling you something was wrong!" His glare spoke volumes and Jason looked away in guilt.

Dick felt sorry for the dude, but he kind of thought Weevil had a point. If anyone should've known, it was Jason. Then again, Dick knew better than anyone that siblings were sometimes the last to know. "I spent like every waking moment just about with my brother Cassidy, and I had no idea that he'd been abused by his little league coach or that he was plotting mass murder," he shared bluntly.

Although Jason appreciated Dick's surprising support, he didn't let it excuse him. He wasn't Dick. However, he knew now just had badly Dick probably felt when all the truth came out. For the first time, he felt true kinship and admiration for the man that he had previously not understood. "Yea, it's rough," he finally said. "I'm going to go get some coffee. You can stay a bit, Mac."

Dick went out with him while Eli stayed behind. He had more he wanted to say to Jason, but he didn't trust his control right now.

Mac looked over at Weevil. "I'm really sorry I didn't see she was so upset," Mac said to him.

"Well, I did see and it didn't do any damn good," he said sourly. "She wouldn't talk to me. She lied right to my face."

"She must've been really scared," Mac said sadly.

They stood there a few minutes in silence. Finally, Mac asked, "Do you think she really wanted to die?"

Weevil wasn't sure and the possibility that she was so miserable that death was preferable upset him so much that he could barely breath thinking about it. "I hope not. I really hope not," he said morosely.

Back in the waiting room, Jason was pouring a cup of coffee. He was so exhausted, but he wasn't going to leave until his sister woke up. He'd not be there for her enough.

"You know people are good at hiding things when they don't want you to know what's going on," Dick said to Jason.

Jason looked up in surprise. Dick rarely addressed him directly. He was always uncomfortable in his presence. They had very little in common. "Someone _should_ know when it comes to things like this," he said, not willing to let himself off the hook.

"Well, Ronnie was raped at a party and no one knew. She had a complete personality change over it and everyone thought it was just 'cause Lilly was murdered. Oh, and Lilly was sleeping with both Weevil and Logan's dad and not even Veronica knew. And they were like inseparable. Logan was always getting beat by his dead, and I didn't have a clue. I don't think anyone did. Or if they did, they didn't do anything to help. And like I said earlier, I had no idea what was going on with my own little brother, and we spent all our time together," Dick shared in the blunt manner of his that always surprised Jason. It was probably the most the man had ever said at once to him. His lack of pretense always amazed Jason.

"The fact that Veronica's father didn't know what happened to her isn't okay. _Someone_ should always ask. Someone should care enough to ask! It isn't right. Lilly Kane was obviously a great actress who had no problems with deception, but my sister isn't like that. She's always been honest. She's always talked to me when something was wrong. I should've known!" Jason exclaimed, his disgust with himself obvious.

"I'm glad to hear you say that because that's exactly what I was going to say," Sebastian said from the doorway. He stepped into the waiting room that was empty except for his son and the young Casablancas boy. He ignored him and walked to Jason. Dick quickly moved and sat in a corner trying to be invisible. He wanted to leave, but he also was afraid of what the man might do to Jason. He felt obligated to stay.

"Dad," Jason said in acknowledgment. "Is mother here?"

"No. We didn't know how severe it was when I came. You know your mother. She doesn't handle a crisis well. Her parents should be here today though," his father replied. "I want to know why you left the country without telling me? Do you know how I felt when Jazmin's roommate told me that she had no family here when she was near death because her brother was in Puerto Rico?"

"My girlfriend, Daisy, had a close relative die. The funeral was on Saturday. I flew in Friday and was planning on being back Sunday. I didn't think it was a big deal," Jason said defensively.

"You didn't think?" Sebastian repeated coldly. "My only son flies to another country and doesn't think to tell his family? What if the plane blew up or crashed?"

"Jazmin knew," Jason said.

"Oh, and she's in a position to tell us what you're up to?" Sebastian said harshly.

"I feel sick enough, Dad. Don't you think I feel awful? She's my sister! My twin!" Jason exclaimed angrily.

"Oh, you feel awful? Do you? Now that it's apparent your sister has been abused for some time and tried to end her life, you feel awful? Is that suppose to make up for your negligence?" Sebastian asked in increasing anger.

"No," Jason said, hanging his head.

"Why are you at this school? Why are you in this town?" Sebastian asked coldly.

"To watch out for Jazmin," Jason replied, looking down at his shoes. He felt his father's condemnation like a physical blow.

"I let you leave a top rated school in the Chicagoland area to come here. You have one task. One! And you failed! You failed your sister and you failed me!" Sebastian said angrily. "I want to know how you let this happen to her?"

Jason didn't answer for a minute. Finally, he said, "I don't know."

Sebastian reached out and grabbed him roughly by the chin. "You will _look_ at me!" he ordered in a deadly tone. Jason faced him, his gaze unflinching. "What has always been your top priority?" He let go on Jason's face.

"To watch out for my sister," Jason said dully.

"First, you let Joseph impregnate her. Then you let him break her heart. He dared to put his hands on her because you failed as her protector!" Sebastian said angrily. "And now I find out she's not only tried to commit suicide, but she's covered in bruises! Bruises! Someone has been hurting her! And where were you? Where?"

"I asked her once if she was okay. She misled me," Jason said with a note of anger.

"Oh, you asked her?" Sebastian asked in a voice dripping with disdain. He stepped forward and hit Jason across the face with an open palm, but the force of the slap made Dick cringe in sympathy. "Asking her politely is not what you do. Jalenos do _not_ ask politely! They demand answers! They demand respect! They get results! If you don't know that by now, you are _not_ my son!"

"Sebastian," Michael said in a warning tone from the doorway.

Sebastian glanced over at Dick, who tried to look invisible when the man's gaze fell on him. He pulled out his cell and pretended to read text messages.

His father took a deep breath, gaining control. "This girlfriend of yours, is it that Daisy girl I met at dinner when I was last in town? The one you were chasing?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes," Jason replied stoically.

"It's obvious that she is taking away too much of your time. If you cannot learn to prioritize, then she may not be what you need right no," Sebastian said. He knew better than to outright tell his son who to see. That was a battle he lost long ago. His son was as stubborn as he when he set his mind.

"I love her," Jason admitted. His father had often been his confidante. Jason felt his father's anger was justified, so he didn't hold his harsh words or the slap against him. It was the way things worked in their family. His father could never be harder on him than he was on himself.

"That is all fine and good. I'm sure she's a fine woman. But there's a time for everything, Jason. You are just nineteen. Sow some oats. Have fun. However, if you allow yourself to get so wrapped up in a woman, you will lose focus. Things like this will keep happening," Sebastian said. "Don't think I didn't notice your midterm grades weren't perfect like they normally are. Your grades are slipping. That cannot be allowed. You were the one who insisted on a double major. If you cannot handle all your responsibilities, a new girlfriend is not a good idea."

Jason said nothing. "Are you forbidding me from seeing her?" he finally asked.

Sebastian shook his head. "No. You can date whomever you want. You know your grandparents tried to keep your mother from dating me, so I would never do that," he said frankly. "But I want you to remember why I allow you to be in this town. Your sister comes first. She is the most important thing. When she is married and someone else's main priority, then you will have time for your own relationships."

Mac and Eli came into the waiting room. Dick looked so relieved that Mac immediately went to his side and sat down. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

"Get me out of here," he whispered back. However, neither felt inclined to interrupt the family drama that kicked up a notch when Sebastian's focus turned to Weevil.

"Eli, I was just explaining to Jason how disappointed I am in him. He's failed his sister," Sebastian remarked. He noticed that his daughter's boyfriend didn't disagree but only glared at his son. It was clear that he felt the same way. "I can see that you don't disagree."

"I told him more than once that something was wrong. That first weekend she was acting terrified and clingy. Told me it was PMS. I didn't buy it and went to Jason," Eli shared. Jason couldn't hold his gaze.

"She laughed it off when I talked to her!" Jason defended.

"Oh, you mean in the five minutes you spared to actually talk to her?" Eli asked in disgust.

Jason would take it from his father, but he wasn't about to take it from Eli. He felt bad enough. "I did talk to her, damn it! More importantly, it's not me that was making her so miserable she swallowed a bunch of pills!" Jason said hotly. He stepped toward Eli. "Just what exactly did you say to her when she told you she'd been with another man? I bet you were angry, weren't you? Did you yell at her? Did you make her cry? You're not going to put this all on me without looking at your own part in this!"

Eli's anger exploded and he charged Jason, decking him hard across the face. Needing an outlet for his own impotent rage, Jason returned the hit with one of his own. The two men were evenly matched. Jason superior skill was matched by Eli's rage and determination to punish someone for Jazmin's circumstance.

Mac and Dick got to their feet. "Stop them!" she ordered Dick and Sebastian.

Sebastian looked at Michael who stepped forward. The two best friends were separated, both a little bloody. Both still very angry.

"If she dies, I will never forgive you!" Eli said angrily to Jason.

"If she dies, I'll never forgive myself!" Jason replied hotly.

Mac decided to brave the anger and stepped between them. "We all failed Jazmin in some way or another. But the truth is she went out of her way to make sure none of us knew anything," Mac said.

Sebastian nodded. "The question is why? If she was afraid, she has plenty of people to turn to," he said.

"When she wakes up, we'll ask her," Jason said.

"I'm not going to wait. We need to find out now," Sebastian said. He looked at Mac. "Do you think you can gather all Jazmin's friends and bring them here for lunch? I will get a conference room where we can have privacy. I don't want to leave the hospital, so I'll bring in some food. Her grandparents will be here sometime today, and she may wake up or get worse."

"Of course," Mac said.

"We're going to get to the bottom of this," Sebastian said grimly. He looked at Dick. The man's obvious fear of him amused him. He smiled. "Can you get a hold of the sheriff? See if he can join us."

Dick nodded and grabbed Mac's hand, tugging her out of the room.

When they were safely in the elevator, Dick shuddered. "Oh my God, Mackie! Never leave me alone with that man again! You should've seen the way he talked to Jason! He even slapped him. Hard. I never felt so sorry for a person in my life!" Dick exclaimed.

"Everyone's upset," Mac said diplomatically.

"I know I am after witnessing that!" Dick said dramatically. Then he began to fill Mac in. Dick appreciated his own father more and more.

*****_More to Come*****_

_I posted a new poll on my profile page. I'm curious about your feelings concerning Jazmin. Should she live or die? So many of you have been pretty callous about her in this story, which is both surprising and disappointing. Veronica didn't tell her father about her own rape. If she had, maybe Cassidy would've been stopped before he started planting bombs. Her reasons were much more selfish. She simply didn't want him to curtail her activities. But Jazmin is my own character, so the reaction has been varied about her. Should she die? If you have an opinion about that, please take a minute and go to my profile page and vote. I'm curious about the overall feelings of the readers. She seems to be my most controversial character, and I want to know if there's a dominating opinion about her fate. Thanks a bunch!_


	26. Chapter 26

**I had a request to put this link in my story so you can check it out. The actors of VM are campaigning hard to get the VM movie made this summer. But they need our help! I put spaces in the link so it won't be blocked. Delete all the spaces and you'll have a real link that you can go to if you haven't already. insidetv. ew 2013 /03/13/ veronica-mars- movie -kristen- bell- kickstarter/ **

Chapter 26: Piecing It Together

*******_Sunday Shortly Before Noon********_

Madison was driving her sister Lauren to a lunch date she had.

"I can't wait until you finally get your license," Madison said sourly.

"Me, too!" Lauren said enthusiastically. "It's lame having you and mom drive me everywhere!"

"I can't believe you didn't pass your driving test! You're supposed to be the smart one!" Madison said with a snicker.

"Intelligence doesn't have anything to do with driving. I'll pass the test next time! I swear!" Lauren said. She noticed some flashing lights in the window. "Oh no!"

Madison looked and saw the cop. "Damn it! I am so sick of this bullshit!" she fumed, slowing down and pulling over. "I swear I'm going to kill Veronica Mars if it's the last thing I do!"

Lauren looked anxious. She'd never been in a car that got pulled over before and didn't know what to expect.

The cop waited for Madison to roll down her window. To say she was hostile would be an understatement. "Why did you pull me over? I wasn't speeding," she asked crossly. The deputy was not one she'd seen before. It was a female deputy.

"License and insure please, ma'am," the deputy said. Her name tag red Collins.

"Deputy Collins, this is the fourth time I've been pulled over in a week. I'm about to get my attorney to press harassment charges!" Madison said in annoyance.

"We received a tip that the person matching your description was transporting drugs," the deputy said.

"I need you to get out of the car. Both of you."

"My sister is a minor," Madison said.

Another deputy appeared on Lauren's side of the car. "Madison, what's happening?" a fearful Lauren asked her.

"It's okay, Lauren," Madison said. "Just get out of the car and do what the officer says."

Madison and Lauren got out of the car. Both were immediately made to assume the position and were padded down. Lauren started crying. She didn't understand what was happening. The deputy led Madison to her sister away from the road. Lauren reached for her sister's hand. "I do _not_ have any drugs on me! Nor do I sell or transport drugs!" Madison told the two deputies.

A second patrol car pulled up. Madison became nervous. This was different than the other times she'd been pulled over. Her eyes widened in real worry when the new officer opened the back door of his squad car and a K-9 drug sniffing dog got out. "What's the dog for?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

The officer ignored her, and the cops began going over her car. After a few minutes, the dog let out an excited bark. The officer reached under the car and pulled something off the car.

"It was duct taped," he said to Officer Collins. He held up a small bag. "Looks like an ounce of cocaine."

Madison looked in disbelief as the officers began reading her and Lauren their rights. Lauren eyes widened fearfully as she was made to put her hands behind her back and was handcuffed.

"Why are you arresting my sister? She didn't do anything. That bag isn't hers or mine! I have no idea how it got there!" Madison insisted.

The cops ignored her and put them in the squad car.

"She's gone too far this time!" Madison exclaimed. Planting drugs and getting her and her sister arrested was crossing the line.

*******_Neptune Memorial Hospital********_

Duncan went into Jazmin's room to see her. Parker was there with Mac. Mac was obviously comforting a distraught Parker. When she saw Duncan, Mac looked relieved. The _help me_ was clear in her eyes.

Duncan smiled. "Is there any change?" he asked.

Parker looked toward him. She wiped her eyes. "She's still in a coma," Parker said flatly.

"But she's breathing much better now the nurse said," Mac added. "It's a good sign. I'll go see if everyone's here. Mr. Jaleno won't like being kept waiting."

"That man is so scary!" Parker said with a shudder.

"You sound like Dick," Mac said with a small smile. She gave Parker's hand a squeeze and left them alone with Jazmin.

Duncan went to stand next to Parker, looking down at Jazmin. "I can't believe Jazmin's been going through so much and didn't tell anyone," he observed.

"I can't believe that Mac and I never noticed she was so upset," Parker said, her voice laced with guilt. "I'm the worse friend ever."

"Jazmin has a lot of friends and no one knew," Duncan said. "When she and I were dating, she was so strong. So fierce about things. This doesn't make any sense."

"I'd almost forgotten you and she dated," Parker said.

Duncan didn't say anything. It seemed forever ago. "Speaking of dates, where's Piz?" he asked.

"He's at work," she said.

He nodded in acknowledgment. "Jazmin's a survivor. She'll get through this," Duncan said.

"I hope so," Parker said in a small voice.

Duncan put his arms around her shoulder, and she leaned against him. They stood there in silence a few minutes. Then Duncan said, "We should go join everyone else."

Parker looked up at him. For a moment something flashed in her eyes that Duncan thought may have been regret and longing. Then it was gone and the two of them stared wordlessly at one another. Now it was Duncan's eyes that filled with longing. He couldn't help it. He missed her and wished that she loved him. His hand moved to cup her cheek.

"Don't," she begged softly.

"Don't what? Don't kiss you? I won't, but it's not easy for me," he admitted. He moved away from her. "We should go." He walked over to the other side of the bed and bent down and gave Jazmin a kiss on the cheek. "We're waiting for you to wake up, Jazmin. Come back to us," he whispered in her ear.

Then they turned and walked out to the ICU waiting room where their friends were gathered. Veronica, Logan, Dick, Mac, Thea, and Wallace were there.

"Where's Weevil?" Duncan asked, noticing his absence.

"He went downstairs to meet the pizza guy," Veronica said.

Jason and Daisy appeared with his Uncle Nico.

"Where's your dad?" Veronica asked.

"He's talking to someone about the room we're going to use," Jason supplied.

"Dude, are you okay?" Dick asked. "Your dad officially gets the scary dad award. Considering Logan's dad was a murdering monster and mine a thief and Veronica and Wally-World's both carry guns that says a lot!"

"Yeah, well, he can be pretty intense when he's upset," Jason said. "Where do you think I get it from?"

"I like all that intensity," Daisy said with a wicked smile.

Logan snickered. "I bet you do," he remarked.

"TMI!" Wallace said. "We didn't need to know that!"

"I don't remember you being such a prude," Daisy said with a wink.

Jason did not appreciate the reminder that she and Wallace used to be lovers. Wallace looked uncomfortable, so Thea stepped in. "The nurse says your sister is doing better. They may move her out of ICU in the morning."

"I hope so," Jason replied grimly. He looked exhausted. His friends had never seen him less than perfectly groomed.

Dick, of course, had to comment on it. "Dude, you can grow a beard in alike a day! It's not fair!" Dick complained.

Duncan and Logan exchanged smiles. "I remember that time over the summer before junior year when you tried to grow a beard," Logan said.

"Didn't it come out all patchy?" Duncan asked with a laugh.

"Not even patchy. Just puffs of baby fine hair," Logan said, grinning.

"Beaver kept calling him Patches all summer, so he finally shaved it," Duncan said recalling.

Mac smiled. "You never told me that," she said.

Their smiles were cut short when Jason's dad appeared with his bodyguard. "Come," he said to them.

They stepped in the hall, and Keith was there talking to Weevil. The pizza guy was carrying two pizza bag warmers. He didn't look happy with the delay.

They walked down a hall and turned. Then they stopped. Michael opened the door. The pizza guy went through first. He sat the pizza down on the table and smiled happily when Michael gave him several bills.

They spread out around the long conference table. Dick found it odd that Jason and Weevil sat far from one another. While the pizza was being passed around, he whispered to Mac, "Are Jason and Weevil still mad? Usually a good tussle clears the air."

"It was more than two guys blowing off steam, Dick. Until Jazmin wakes ups, they're not going to be able to move pass this," she said.

Keith got out his notepad.

"Sheriff, did you want to start?" Sebastian asked the man sitting across from him.

Keith nodded. "I've talked to the neighbors. The neighbor next door did recall hearing some loud noises Friday afternoon. He said they were brief, so he didn't think much of it. The only reason he even noticed was because the girls next door were normally very quiet," Keith shared.

"We're gone a lot," Mac said.

"Was there a car?" Veronica asked.

"No, there was not. No unusual cars or trucks at the house the past few weeks. Only Dick's loud truck engine according to the older lady across the street," Keith said.

"Well, yesterday we worked on a timeline," Veronica shared. All eyes turned toward her. "Weevil said it was 3 weekends ago when Jazmin first started acting strange."

"Yes. That was the first time I saw a bruise on her," he added. "It was a slight bruise on the cheek like the one she has now."

"My daughter was hurt and no one called me?" Sebastian asked, his eyes ablaze.

"She told me she'd knocked into the door and laughed about it. I had no reason not to believe her. She'd never lied to me before," Weevil said sourly. "But she was really clingy that weekend. Unusually so. Said she wasn't feeling well but wanted me to hold her. That's when I told Jason something weird was going on with her because it was so unlike her. I knew something was wrong."

All eyes looked toward Jason, who looked pained at the reminder. However, he nodded. "I went to see her before Daisy and I went out that same evening Eli told me," he said. "She seemed perfectly normal. Insisted that she'd had an usually bad cause of PMS and that Eli had never seen her that way before. She laughed about Eli overreacting."

"PMS is no laughing matter. Sometimes Mac can't leave her room when Aunt Flo comes for her monthly visit," Dick said with a knowing nod.

When everyone looked at Mac, she wanted to die. "Dick, I swear to God, I will kill you if you say another word," she whispered frantically. Dick flashed her a guilty look. Sometimes, he just didn't think before he opened his mouth. He hoped Mac wouldn't get sick of his bad habit and leave him. He reached for her hand, but she glared at him and pulled it out of his reach. Then she turned her gaze away from his sad puppy-dog eyes.

Weevil felt sorry for the big mouth and Mac, so he jumped into the silence. "Jason believed her and didn't give her another thought even though a week later I told him I was still worried," Eli said, giving Jason an angry glare. Eli didn't see a point in telling her dad about the pregnancy scare. Not unless he had to anyway.

"My sister has never lied to me our entire lives. She promised me she was fine. I had no reason to not believe her either," Jason said defensively.

"You should've trusted _me_. I know my woman! I knew something wasn't right!" Eli said heatedly.

"Enough!" Sebastian said.

"We need to focus on the day her behavior changed," Veronica said. "We know something's been going on with her. She told me when she was questioned that she she'd slept with another guy. Now we know there's definitely more to the story. Someone has been hurting her or hurt her recently. Maybe manhandling and harassing or maybe more. Or there could be two separate things going on here."

"So three Fridays ago, what all was going on?" Keith asked.

"I don't remember anything special," Wallace said.

"That's when Piz flew in, remember? You picked him up at the airport that afternoon," Parker said.

"Oh, yeah, that's right. I was running late and couldn't find my keys. David found them for me, but I ran off without my phone," Wallace said ruefully.

Thea remembered that week. "That Tuesday I ran into Jazmin in the school cafeteria," Thea shared. "She was sitting with David."

"Yeah, so?" Wallace asked.

Thea frowned. "I didn't like the way he looked at her. He's obsessive when he shouldn't be. He asked her out even after she turned him down and began dating Eli," Thea said. "One of my sisters had a problem with a guy like that. It got pretty ugly."

"David's got a crush. He hasn't been talking about her in a while. He's moved on," Wallace said not liking her implication.

Sebastian, however, listened intently. He looked at Jason, who was sitting at his left. "Did I not tell you the last time I was in town to keep an eye on that guy? I didn't like the look of him either," Sebastian said.

"You guys can't be serious?" Wallace asked incredulously.

"Jazmin hadn't made any complaints about him to me," Mac said.

"Me either," Parker said.

"So has there been any other guy besides David that has asked her out lately?" Keith asked.

"Not that she told me," Jason said.

"She only has eyes for Weevil," Veronica said.

"Wasn't David really ugly to her when he found out a few months ago that she and Weevil were dating?" Dick asked, remembering. "We were at the ice cream shop. I texted Weevil so that he'd come 'cause technically she was there with David. He had a game. They won and we were celebrating."

"That's when Jazmin told him she wasn't interested in dating him because she liked Weevil," Mac clarified. "He did get really angry."

"Called Weevil a wetback or something," Dick recalled.

Keith frowned, not liking the way this was sounding. "So he was rejected and angry?" Keith asked.

Wallace looked at Thea, feeling helpless. "There's no way my roommate hurt Jazmin! He just wouldn't do it. I live with the guy! I'd know if he was capable of that!" Wallace insisted.

Thea reached over for his hand and gave it a consoling squeeze. "Wallace, you haven't known him long. Some people are really good at pretending," she said quietly.

"Where is David right now?" Keith asked. "I can at least ask him a few questions."

"So can I," Sebastian said icily.

"I will take care of this. You focus on your daughter," Keith said with a warning look.

Sebastian didn't say anything. He just glanced at Nico, who got up and left the room.

"I hope he didn't leave to 'cause problems," Keith said.

"Nico has a business to run," Sebastian said dismissively.

"It doesn't matter. David's not in town," Wallace announced. "We only have two more days of class before Thanksgiving break starts. David hasn't missed any classes, so he got a ticket to leave for home Friday night. I had a game, but he said goodbye Friday morning. Told me that he'd be back next Sunday."

"So he was in town Friday? He could've ran into her before he left town," Keith remarked. "I think I'll start talking to some of his football playing friends. Guys on a team sport talk a lot in the locker room. Maybe he said something about Jazmin."

"So is David the only one who we can think of?" Veronica asked.

"Your in her photography class," Duncan said. "Any guys there hitting on her?"

Veronica thought about it and shook her head. "She's beautiful in that untouchable way. Guys aren't rushing to hit on her. I think she intimidates them."

"Totally can see that," Dick said.

Wallace nodded. "Absolutely," Wallace said, smiling a little.

"I will go talk to her professors tomorrow and see if I can find out more," Keith said.

"Don't forget to question the football team," Veronica said. "If David is our prime suspect, one of his friends may know something."

"Not my first day, sweetheart," Keith said with a dry smile.

"I can't believe you guys," Wallace grumbled.

"If you let a predator in my girl's life, I will not be pleased," Sebastian said with a pointed glare at Wallace.

He cringed and looked at Thea, who let go of his hand to rub his leg soothingly. "You didn't pick David as a roommate. If it is David, you're not responsible," she told him confidently. She flashed Sebastian an annoyed look. Wallace had the best heart. The fact that he saw the best in everyone was one of the things she loved the most about it. She didn't enjoy having anyone try to make him feel bad about that.

Veronica remembered something and turned to Mac, who was sitting next to her. "Did you remember to grab Jazmin's phone from your house?" she asked Mac.

"Oh yes! It's in my bag," she said. She reached down and rifled through it before pulling the phone out and handing it to Veronica.

"Maybe this can tell us something," Veronica said. She looked through the contacts. Nothing recently but calls from those Veronica would expect. She went through the text messages. She skimmed the ones from Weevil, feeling guilty for reading the naked emotion in some of them. Weevil had really been going nuts.

"Anything?" Logan asked impatiently.

"There's a lot. She hasn't cleaned it out in awhile," Veronica said, frowning as she scrolled through the messages.

"Just go back three weeks if you can and move forward," Keith advised.

Veronica nodded and did that. She looked up at Wallace. "Wallace, the day you picked Piz up from the airport did you talk to Jazmin?" she asked him.

He frowned and shook his head. "No. Not that I can recall. Why?" he asked.

"She has a text from you saying that you need to talk to her about Piz and Parker. You asked her to come to your room," Veronica said.

Wallace held out his hand. "Let me see," he said. The phone was passed down to him. Keith looked at it and wrote down the time before handing it to Wallace.

Wallace got a sick feeling as he read it. He had forgotten and left his phone in his room and went to pick up Piz. "I didn't send that," he said somberly. "I left my phone in my room because I was in a rush, running late. I couldn't find my keys and forgot my phone."

The room was silent as the implication rocked through the room. Sebastian felt a white, hot rage fill him. He didn't trust himself to speak and got up to leave the room. The door shutting behind him and his bodyguard seemed to release the rest of them.

"It was David. It has to be!" Veronica declared. She looked at Thea, who nodded in agreement. It didn't make her feel good to know her suspicions were right.

"God, I am the worse judge of character in the world!" Wallace moaned in self-loathing. He covered his face with his hands.

Jason, however, was devastated. His dad had warned him about David. His father had instincts Jason didn't have. He knew that, but he hadn't see a monster when he looked at David. He hadn't even had any suspicions. Nothing would ever make him forgive himself for this. Daisy reached over and grabbed his hand in sympathy. Jason's pain-filled eyes made her heart break. She hated seeing him like this. He had such a sense of responsibility. Daisy found herself in the unusual position of wishing fervently that Jazmin would wake up and start taking up some of Jason's time again.

"Do you think this guy raped her?" Weevil made himself ask Veronica.

Veronica looked at her dad for help. Keith spoke up. "We can't jump to any conclusions until she wakes up, and we talk to her. Everyone needs to take a beat. Not to mention cell phones aren't always 100% reliable. Text messages can be delayed. Dates could be wrong," he said calmly. He would say whatever it took to keep any one of these young people from trying to dish out vigilante justice. Both Duncan and Jason had the means to fly to Texas easily. "No one in this room needs to say a word to David. Is that clear? If he is the man who hurt her, we don't want to tip our hand until we gather evidence. Is that understood?" He met the gaze of everyone in the room until they nodded. He got to his feet. "I'll began looking at his life very carefully. I promise you."

No one said a word until Keith left.

The group look beaten and incredibly sad. No one knew what to say. Everyone was feeling a certain measure of guilt. No one but Thea had thought David was someone to be concerned about. And Thea was feeling guilty for not saying something more. Maybe she could've shared her sister's story with Jazmin that day in the food court when she grew suspicious of David. It had been just a few days before the text was sent.

"How could he have hurt Jazmin?" Veronica finally said.

"If our suspicions are correct, he didn't just hurt her once, but he hurt her again this past Thursday or Friday," Logan said thoughtfully.

Weevil got to his feet, sick and angry. He couldn't listen to this anymore. He wanted to break something or hurt someone. The thought of that big white football player putting his hands on Jazmin made him want to commit murder. He decided to go see Jazmin. The nurse was checking her vitals when he got to her room.

"How is she?" Weevil asked.

The nurse smiled. "She is doing better. Her blood pressure and breathing have improved. There's also been some volunteer movement," she said.

"She's waking up?" Weevil asked hopefully.

"It's looking good. The doctor hopes she will soon. Tomorrow we'll be moving her out of ICU," the nurse said. She left him to visit in private.

Weevil was so relieved to hear some good news that he collapsed in the chair next to her. "Please, baby, wake up," he said to her. He reached out and grabbed her hand. Lifting it to his lips, he kissed it. "Princess, we are going crazy here. Wake up and tell us what happened to you, please. Tell us who hurt you!"

Weevil didn't understand how Jazmin could've been hurt and not confided in him. Why hadn't she told him? He leaned closer and kissed her. "I love you so much, Jazmin. Don't leave me. Don't shut me out anymore. Wake up and talk to me! Please!" he begged. His eyes filled with tears. "Ah, baby, please come back to me." He'd lost Lilly and she hadn't really ever been his. Another man violently ended her life. Now someone in their life had hurt the last woman he thought he'd ever love. Someone may be hurting her so extensively that she wanted to die to end her suffering. That thought ravaged him. How can he protect her from someone no one saw as a threat? If it wasn't David, who else could it be? What exactly had been done to her? Not knowing was torture.

Weevil got to his feet when Jazmin's hand moved. "Jazmin?" he asked, his heart racing. Was she waking up? When her eyes fluttered open, he had his answer.

*******_Chapter End*******_

_Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter done. I have a lot of balls in the air right now (3 stories is a lot of work). I honestly wasn't trying to drag out the suspense. I think the last chapter was a record number of reviews. I appreciate it and all those who advocated Jazmin live. Only 2 people wanted her to die. The 3rd vote PM'd me and informed me they'd hit the wrong button by mistake. I had no intention of killing her off. I was just wondering how deep the dislike for her character went. Looks like those that don't like her don't hate her enough or love Weevil too much to put him through that. As you can see from the beginning of this chapter, I haven't forgotten about the other storylines and will shift the story. I appreciate your reviews and support!_


	27. Chapter 27

**It's been a great few days for Veronica Mars fans! If you've been living under a rock, Kickstarter has a campaign to raise money for our VM movie. According to an interview Rob Thomas just gave Friday, he is going to give the fans what they want. I'm assuming that's a LoVe story! He also did not make Veronica an FBI agent. He said he considers that version an alternate reality version. Here's the link again for those that are just tuning in: kick starter dot com / projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project**

**Anyone want to start campaigning for a Gilmore Girls' movie? Or the epic Buffy/Angel movie? :)**

Chapter 27: Looking For Answers

******_Still at Neptune Memorial Hospital_******

The group was silent after Weevil left for a few minutes. Wallace looked miserable. "What do I do? I can't live with the guy thinking he may have hurt Jazmin," he said.

"You can come stay with me at my dad's," Dick offered. "He's going to be out of town a lot and has been bugging me about not letting the house be empty."

"You already have a house," Veronica said with a frown.

"Yeah, I know. But it's getting crowded," Dick said. "And you two are going to be married soon. Don't you think it's kind of lame that I still live there?"

"You said it," Veronica said with a grin.

"Dude, it's your house. You and I bought it. Not Veronica and I. She and I can go look for a new place that's ours," Logan said.

"That's true," Veronica said. "You love the beach."

"I do. But it's not like I won't be by all the time," Dick said. "My dad's house is huge. Trina and Richie can come visit me when you guys need some _alone_ time!" He gave Logan a wink.

"Nice of you to think of that," Logan said with a grin.

"Besides, Wally-World, I'm not ready to be so domesticated! We can have like a bachelor's pad!" Dick said with a grin.

"You're a bachelor? Good to know!" Mac said with an eye roll. She was still peeved about his embarrassing comment about her period.

Dick cringed guiltily when he realized what he said. "You know what I mean! I just meant less girls under foot all the time!" he explained to Mac.

Logan and Duncan snickered. "Dude, quit while you're a head," Logan advised while Mac shot him an annoyed look.

"Jay, your dad's not going to, like, kill me if it ends up being David?" Wallace asked, changing the subject.

Jason shook his head. "No. I'll get all the blame. He really did tell me to watch David. He didn't like the way he was looking at Jazmin at the dinner party we had at Luigi's," Jason said.

"I don't get you," Veronica said in bemusement. "You're a very intelligent guy who seems to respect women. Why do you put up with your dad's antiquated bullshit?"

"It's just the way it is in our family," Jason said.

"Jazmin is an independent, strong, intelligent woman. She's not some helpless woman looking for some guy to take care of her," Veronica said in disgust. "Hasn't your dad heard of the women's movement? This isn't the 1950s!"

"It's not about sexism or thinking she's helpless," Jason said. "We're not trying to demean Jazmin. She's my other half. I know how capable she is. We just treasure the women in our family. Hold them in the highest regard. Wives, daughters, and sisters are meant to be watched over and treasured like the jewels they are."

"Greeks are similar," Thea added. "Highly patriarchal for the most part. But I don't have an older brother, and my dad's out numbered with all the girls. My baby brother is spoiled, pampered, and very sheltered."

"Well, I'm an only child," Veronica said.

"My dad was like that with Trina," Logan said. "She was treated like a princess and me the whipping boy."

"It wasn't like that in my family," Duncan stated.

"Understatement. You were the spoiled prince," Veronica said.

"Maybe if my parents were more like Jason's dad, Lilly would still be alive," he pointed out.

Their musings were interrupted by Mac's cell phone. "Hey, Lauren," she said. "What? Are you okay?..Really?...Okay...Yes...I'll be right there." She hung up and glared at Veronica. "Guess where my little sister is?"

Veronica frowned. "How would I know?" she asked.

"Maybe next time you go planting drugs on Madison's car and tipping off the cops, you think about the fact that Lauren could be in the damn car!" Mac yelled, her voice getting louder with each word. She was on her feet by the time she was done.

"What? Lauren's in jail? I didn't call the cops. I've not thought about Madison in the past 24 hours," Veronica said.

"So you had nothing to do with this? I'm supposed to believe that?" Mac asked crossly.

Veronica began to get angry. "I'm not a liar!" she exclaimed in annoyance.

"Uh, snookums, you do sometimes bend the truth," Logan said with a smirk.

Veronica shot him a dirty look. "I don't lie to my best friends about things that matter!" she insisted. She turned back to Mac. "My dad would kill me if I planted drugs or bought drugs to plant them."

"I can't argue about this now. I got to get down to the police station. Madison and the parents are unglued over this and causing an ugly scene with your dad," Mac shared. She glared at Dick. "You can stay here and think about how badly you want your new bachelor's pad. Give me your truck keys!"

"Don't you want me to go with you?" he asked in surprise. He got up and dug them out of his pocket.

She accepted them. "No," she said simply. Then she turned and left.

Dick sat back down, upset. He turned to Veronica after she left. "What the hell, Ronnie?" Dick asked. "A little payback is one thing, but did you have to go that far?"

Veronica gave him an annoyed look. "It wasn't me," she bit out. She looked at Logan.

"Hypothetically speaking," he said, "it _may_ have been me." He didn't look sorry about the fact.

"What?" Dick asked incredulous.

"You think Veronica's the only one pissed at Madison? That was _my_ baby she was carrying, in case you forgot," he said coldly.

Veronica looked at him in surprise. "Really? How did you manage that?" she asked.

The door opened and Weevil came in. "She's awake! Jazmin is awake!" he shouted excitedly.

Everyone got to their feet at his announcement. "Really?" Jason asked, afraid to believe.

"Is she talking?" Veronica asked.

"I just ran and got the nurse when she opened her eyes and looked at me. They chased me out of there," Weevil said.

Jason went out the door to her room in ICU. Everyone trailed after him. They crowded around him as he stood in the doorway of her room. The nurse had moved the bed up, so they could all see Jazmin was awake. Jason went toward her, ignoring the nurse. "Jazzie, you're awake!" he exclaimed in relief. He grabbed her hand.

She gave him a wan smile. "Yeah," she said softly. "What happened?"

Her friends looked at each other in surprise. Weevil stepped to the other side of the bed and grabbed her other hand. The nurse frowned at all the visitors. "We will move her out of ICU within the hour, but until then, only two visitors at a time!" she said firmly. The friends all reluctantly went down to the lobby.

"You don't remember?" Jason asked her.

She frowned. "No. I remember trying to sleep and not being able to shut off my mind," she said.

"I came to see you yesterday afternoon, and Mac couldn't wake you up," Eli told her. "I tried and you were unresponsive. Barely breathing. Then I found a bottle of Xanax. You'd swallowed them. You went into respiratory depression and slipped into a coma."

"We're so glad you're okay," Jason said. He hugged her. "You scared me to death!"

Eli was both happy and relieved that she was okay. However, anger at her actions began to seep in. "Why would you want to kill yourself? Who hurt you?" he demanded to know.

Jazmin's eyes widened in surprise. Then they saw both fear and shame in them. She looked down at her hands. The doctor came in. "I need to examine the patient," he told them.

The two men left. When they made it to the lobby, Jason stopped and looked in disapproval at Eli. "She just woke up and you want to start drilling her like she's a criminal! You got to give her some time!" he insisted.

"I'm not going to pretend this didn't happen, or that it was an accident!" Eli exclaimed. "You don't swallow an entire bottle of pills accidentally. Or do it in one bad decision swallow. It takes many times, so she had to have thought about what she was doing. I'm damn well sure going to find out! You can keep sticking your dumb-ass head in the sand, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this!"

His angry voice drew his friends to the waiting room doorway to see what was going on. Logan and Veronica stepped toward them.

"Guys, fighting is not going to help Jazmin," Veronica said in disapproval.

"They'll kick you out if you don't lower your voices," Logan added.

"She just woke up, and Eli here wants to give her the third degree," Jason said.

"I want answers!" he replied.

"We all do, Weevil. But until we find out how precarious her health is and her mental state, we can't push too fast," Veronica advised.

"Fine. Why don't you call me if she asks to see me?" he said and stomped toward the elevators. He couldn't stand doing nothing anymore. One way or another he was going to find if it was David who hurt her.

******_Neptune Sheriff's Department*_*****

Mac got into the police station in time to hear the loud voices that she knew were connected to the Sinclair family. She went around the corner and sure enough there was Madison yelling at Keith Mars. Mac quickly got closer.

"Your insane daughter has a vendetta against me! She has gone too far this time, and I want to know what you're going to do about it!" Madison yelled.

"Vendetta? Isn't that a bit much?" Keith asked.

"Keith, what would you call it?" her dad said with a frown. "Your daughter tazered Madison on campus and threatened to make her life miserable. It's been pretty miserable this past week. She's got pulled over just about every time she's left the house. And now someone planted drugs!"

"My daughter would _never _plant drugs on anyone!" he said. Then he recalled the time she'd done exactly that to Logan and mentally groaned. Or was that just a bong? He wasn't sure. His daughter made him so tired sometimes.

"Are you sure? I don't think there's much your daughter won't dare to do!" Mr. Sinclair said. "She's sicked your deputies on my daughter!"

Mac quickly stepped up and did something she hated to do. She purposely put herself in the middle of the argument. "Veronica didn't do this," she said loudly, getting their attention.

All eyes looked to her. Lauren looked disappointed that she was once again defending Veronica. Getting arrested was the most humiliating experience of her young life. And considering she was known at school as the "Cancer Chick" that was saying a lot. "Mac, why are you defending her still? I got handcuffed! I have a mug shot! If this gets out around school, I will just die!" Lauren exclaimed, upset.

"So you know someone else eager to tape drugs to the undercarriage of my car?" Madison asked hotly.

"I accused her of it and she was adamant in her denial. She said her dad would kill her if she went that far," Mac said, giving Keith a weary glance.

"Like I believe anything that meddlesome tramp says! She is convinced I killed her baby! There's no telling how far she'll go!" Madison insisted.

"First of all, I don't appreciate you talking about my daughter that way. You did have an altercation with her knowing she was pregnant. Second of all, if you and your sister both pass a drug test, I will have the charges dropped," Keith said. He'd do about anything to get rid of them.

"What about your daughter?" Madison's father said. "Are you going to reign her in? This needs to stop!"

Keith sighed tiredly. He wanted to be on Jazmin's investigation and got called away to deal with the Sinclairs. "I will talk to my daughter. I promise," he said, hoping to end this. He motioned to a deputy. "Have the two young ladies take a drug test." The deputy nodded. He led them away.

"I have work to do, so I'm going to excuse myself," he said to them. "Mac, I'll talk to you later."

He quickly made a hasty retreat to his office. He told his secretary to page Leo. If anyone was doing his daughter's bidding, he had a feeling it was the one his daughter used to date.

Marilyn gave Mac a sympathetic look. "It's okay, sweetheart. It was good of you to come down. Madison was being difficult. This was hard on her. Having Lauren in the car just made it worse," she said.

"She has a right to be upset over this, Marilyn," her husband said.

"You're sure the drugs aren't Madison's?" Mac asked.

Her parents looked shocked at the suggestion. "Of course not!" her mom said.

"Parents are always the last to know what's going on," Mac said.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Cindy?" Marilyn asked in concern.

Mac groaned. She was so bad at this. "No. I promise, I'll talk to Veronica and end this," she said.

"How's your friend?" Marilyn asked.

"She's doing better. She was still in a coma when I left," she said. Her phone buzzed. She read Dick's message. A huge smile broke out on her face. "She just woke up! I gotta go. Tell Lauren I will come see her tonight before I go home."

She raced out of the hospital. It didn't take her long to make it back to the ICU waiting room. Her friends were still there. "How is she?" she asked Parker.

"Good! They're getting a regular room ready for her now. We can visit then. Her dad and Jason is with her now," she said.

"Where's Weevil?" Mac asked, noticing his absence.

"He and Jason got into it and he left," Veronica said. "How's your sister?"

"Very upset. I didn't get to talk to her much. Your dad agreed to drop the charges if they both passed a drug test," Mac shared.

"That's good," Veronica said.

"This has got to stop, Veronica," Mac said firmly. "I can't take this anymore! You should've seen how Lauren looked at me. She was humiliated, and my family is convinced it's your fault."

"It's not! This wasn't me!" Veronica insisted.

"I told them them, but I don't think they believed me," she said tiredly.

Duncan came up to Veronica. "Listen, I was talking to the others, and we decided it'd probably be better if some of us left. Thea doesn't think it's a good idea for us to bombard her with all of us at once. You and Parker are her roommates. Maybe you two should stay. I'll come back in the morning before class," Duncan said.

"Thea and I will come back tonight," Wallace said.

"That's a good idea," Veronica said. "I want to stay though. Just to let her know I was here and worried."

"I think I'll go home for a few hours. Let her get settled into a room," Mac said. "I got to deal with my sister. She was really upset." She walked over to Dick. "Can you run me home? I need to get my car."

Dick nodded eagerly, relieved she was talking to him. However, he didn't like that she never reached for his hand like she normally did, so he reached out and took hers as they waited for the elevator. She didn't pull away. He smiled at her. She still looked miffed.

"It's not going to work, Dick," she said as she stepped into the elevator. She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mac!" he said woefully.

"Yeah, you're always sorry, Dick, but it doesn't seem to stop you from humiliating me!" Mac said crossly.

They elevator door opened and Mac stepped out. Dick followed her to his truck. He waited until they were inside before speaking again. Instead of starting the car, he turned and faced her. "I didn't mean to embarrass you! Honest! I was just nervous and didn't think!"

"You never do, Dick. And I'm getting tired of you not respecting my privacy," Mac said.

"All girls have periods and stuff, so I didn't think it was something that was that private," he replied. He reached for her hand. "I'm sorry. Don't leave me! I'll do better! I promise!"

The look of panic and real fear on his face pierced Mac's heart. The man was impossible! If she didn't love him so damn much, this would be easier. "I'm not going to leave you, Dick. Quit thinking that!" she said.

Dick's relief was tangible. "I know you're too good for me, and that I'm the luckiest guy on the planet. You're so much smarter than me. I can't help but worry that maybe you'll get bored or tired of telling me stuff all the time," he said.

"I do get tired of telling you stuff all the time, but you're never boring," she said with a small smile. "I love you, Dick. I don't say that lightly. Love is a commitment."

"I love you so much, Mackie! I'll do better! I swear!" he vowed. "And you know I didn't mean you when I was talking about girls underfoot. I meant Veronica and Trina. They've been fighting lately. You're my best friend. I always want you around. I mean, I'd rather have you move in than Wallace. Or both 'cause it's a huge house."

Mac gave him a real smile, letting go of her annoyance. She had enough going on in her life right now and didn't need to pick a fight with Dick. She knew she was going to have to quit being so sensitive about private stuff or they'd always be in a fight. He just didn't get the concept of privacy, and she knew he tried hard. "Well, not now, Dick. The timing's not right. But I can stay on weekends. Are you sure you want to move out of the beach house though? You love it there," she said.

"I do, but I think my dad's right. If they're going to be married, they should have some privacy. I love Ronnie and all, but it'll be nice not being nagged about crap all the time. She's kind of a buzz kill sometimes," Dick admitted.

Mac smiled. "Okay, we'll move you out over Thanksgiving break," she said.

Dick leaned over and kissed her. "Now we can go to your place and have make-up sex!" he declared with a grin and a wink. He started the truck and pulled away from the hospital.

Mac laughed. He had a one track mind sometimes!

******_*Later That Night**_*****

Veronica climbed into bed next to Logan. It'd been one of the longest weekends of her life. "I'm so glad the weekend's over! I can't believe we have to get up for class in the morning!" she complained.

"Well, just two days left. Think of that," he said as he put his arms around her. She laid her head against his chest and sighed.

"I'm so glad Jazmin's going to be okay. Or I hope she'll be," Veronica said. "It took a lot for me not to question her. I can't blame Weevil. I want answers, too."

"We'll get them. I doubt her father will go long before demanding his own answers," Logan said.

"I can't believe David would hurt her. He seems so nice. Wallace is going to be crushed that he once again misjudged someone if it is him," she said.

"Yeah, the poor guy's going to turn into a distrustful cynic like you and me!" Logan said with a grin.

Veronica looked up at him and frowned. "I hope not! I love his optimistic nature," she said.

"True optimists can't be beaten down. Just look at Dick," he pointed out. "Wallace will just learn some wisdom."

Veronica nodded thoughtfully. Then her eyes narrowed. "So tell me, you evil mastermind, how did you set Madison up?" she asked as she raised up on her elbow and looked at him.

"An evil mastermind never reveals his secrets!" he bragged.

"Well, this one better if he ever wants to see me naked again!" she said with an evil glint of her own.

"You're a coldhearted and cruel woman!" he complained.

"A perfect fit for you," she replied with a cheeky grin.

"Very true," he said. He leaned down and kissed her.

Veronica pushed him away when he tried to take the kiss deeper. "You're not going to distract me! Spill! Mac's still pissed at me over this," she said.

"I set this up on Thursday, and I didn't really think about it after all the Jazmin stuff," he said. "I saw Ratner on campus and offered him $1000 to do the nefarious deed. The bag of coke was only $50, so he made out well."

"Jeff Ratner? Really?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"Since he got fired from the Grand, he doesn't have access to the big tips. Guess an easy payday like that was too hard to pass up. I told him to wait until the weekend sometime to call in the tip," Logan said.

"He knew who she was?" Veronica asked. "He never went to our high school."

"Well, it seems he got blown off by sweet little Maddie at a party two years ago and her stingy insult still pisses him off," Logan said with a grin.

"Leave it to Madison. Making friends where ever she goes," Veronica said dryly.

"I knew it'd probably not stick but would humiliate her and piss her off," Logan said. "Too bad Lauren was in the car with her."

"You don't seem too broken up about it," Veronica observed.

"Well, I do feel a bit bad about that. I don't like Mac being upset either, but we vowed to teach the woman a lesson," Logan said. "I want her broken and crying at my feet!"

"Maybe we should let it go, Logan. Mac's getting really mad at me over this," Veronica said. "We nearly lost Jazmin. I don't want to lose Mac."

"You won't. But Mac may have to pick a team. If her new family is more important to her than us, then we don't need her," he said sourly.

Logan had never had close family ties and never understood anyone picking family over friends. He hadn't when Veronica had done that with her dad. She sighed. Maybe she needed to rethink this. Logan was serious, and she didn't want him losing Dick. Dick loved Logan, but Veronica knew he'd never pick Logan over Mac. "What about Dick? You know he can't stand to see her upset anymore than you could me. He's not made a big deal about this yet 'cause he believes us and not Mac. But he's not going to risk losing her over it either," Veronica said.

"I know Dick better than he knows himself," Logan said. "He may stay away from me awhile, but he'd never truly be angry with me about Madison." His expression changed. "Let's quit talking about the shrew. I'd much rather talk about you, and all the nasty things I wanna do to you!" He moved and began kissing her neck.

Veronica decided he was right. Talking about Madison was not the way she wanted to end her crappy weekend. When he began sucking on a particular sensitive spot, she sighed in contentment. "I do like the way your mind works!" she said happily. Then she threw her arms around him and let him have his way.

****_**Texas*_******

Eli and Nico were in a rented car across from David's parents house watching and waiting. The front door opened. David came out carrying a bag of trash to the curb. "Not now, Eli," Nico advised. "We must wait for an opportunity. We don't want to attract attention."

"The bastard is right there!" Eli fumed. He wanted to rip the man's head off.

"We're going to do this right! We don't know for sure what happened or if he is the one who did anything," Nico reminded him. "We're just going to talk to him. I'm good at reading people. I'll know."

"Then what?" Eli asked.

"We'll go from there. We gotta catch him alone. We know where he's at. We'll come back tomorrow and follow him in daylight. We'll get our chance," Nico said, starting up the car.

Eli watched the football player walk into his house. He was going to make this guy regret having one lustful thought about Jazmin. He didn't care what his revenge cost. The man was going to pay!

******_Chapter End*******_

_I hope this was a satisfying chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!_


	28. Chapter 28

**Here it is. The chapter you've all been waiting for. It may be a bit anti-climatic at this point! Hope you like it!**

Chapter 28: The Terrible Truth

*****_Monday Morning*****_

Sebastian Jaleno sat in a chair in the waiting room at the hospital. He was relieved that his daughter was going to be okay. His in-laws had came in last night to visit Jazmin, and they had already been by this morning. His daughter had promised to come home for Thanksgiving and the holidays, so they relaxed enough to head back home to Chicago. Both were convinced it was an accident. However, Sebastian had his doubts. He wasn't taking any chances. He may be harsh, and he may be considered a tyrant by some. But he didn't care. Not when it came to his children, especially his daughter. She had always been the light of his life. Sweet and tender hearted, she was always a joy. The fact that some man had hurt her made Sebastian angrier than he had ever been.

When Joseph had caused her to fall down the stairs and miscarry, he had been angry. However, he had known that Joseph loved his daughter. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He was stupid and foolish. Ultimately, unworthy of Jazmin. He could forgive Joseph, though, because he had honestly believed Joseph had been careless and not malicious. The lost of the grandchild hurt, but he had figured it was God's will. His daughter wasn't meant to be a mother so young. It was for the best. However, the marks now on his baby girl were indication of a deep malice. If this David fellow had done it, he had done it with hatred in his heart. He had meant to hurt and terrorize his daughter. That thought kept Sebastian at a boiling rage.

His son came into the waiting room. "The counselor has left. We can go in and talk to her now," Jason said.

"We should've been in there with the counselor," Sebastian said sternly.

"You know that's not how it works, Dad. Just be glad she agreed to talk to someone. It's obvious she needed to talk to someone long before today. I'm never going to forgive myself for not being there for her," Jason said.

"She is okay now, so forgiveness is yours," his dad said. They both knew it'd would've been another story if entirely if she had died. However, Sebastian was not one to dwell on the negative or hold a grudge. It's what made him a good businessman.

They walked to her room. She was sitting up and smiled at them. "I wish you guys would go home. I'm fine," she said.

"Not going to happen, sis," Jason said with a frown.

"I am not leaving until you are on the plane next to me," her father said.

"Please, don't," she said.

"Don't what? Don't be upset? Don't be worried? Too late!" her father exclaimed. "What is going on with you? No more lies! No more pretending! We know something has happened to you. We've seen the bruises, so don't try giving us the same bullshit you've been giving Eli."

Jazmin looked upset at his words and turned to her brother. He reached over and grabbed her hand. Her father moved to the other side of the bed.

"Jazzie, please talk to us. Tell us who has been hurting you. We love you, and we're worried," he said gently.

Her eyes filled with tears at his gentle tone.

"Is it that David fellow?" her father asked.

She looked shocked at his guess but shook her head. "I'm not going to tell you anything until you give me some promises. There were reasons I never told anyone what was going on," she said.

"We are your family! You should always tell us!" her father said, outraged at the insult.

Both children ignored him. Jason continued to speak in a soothing tone. "Jazmin, I thought you could tell me anything. It really hurts me that you didn't think you could come to me," he said quietly.

Her eyes reflected the guilt she felt. "No! It wasn't that at all! I know I can always tell you anything! I trust you more than anyone!" she assured him.

"Then why would you not tell me?" he asked.

"Because I knew you and Eli both would go nuts if you knew. I didn't want you to destroy your lives trying to retaliate. I was hurt. Someone hurt me terribly," she admitted. "I felt stupid for not taking steps to prevent, but I never thought for one moment I couldn't talk to you."

"You could've called me. I would've taken care of the problem without involving your brother," her father said.

"And that's why I didn't tell you. I don't want you making some guy disappear on my behalf. I also was afraid you'd make me leave Hearst. I didn't want to leave Eli," she admitted.

"Maybe leaving this town would be the best thing, sis," Jason said

"No!" she exclaimed, upset. "I love it here! I have friends. Real friends. And I have Eli. Or I did until I ruined it with him. And the ocean. I love the ocean. Dick taught me how to surf. I don't want to leave Neptune."

"If you love it so much, why did you try to leave it permanently by swallowing a bottle of pills?" Sebastian asked pointedly.

"I wasn't thinking that. I really wasn't," she said. "I was just trying to stop feeling so awful. I tried to sleep so my mind could rest. I couldn't. I took a sleeping pill, and then it was like something came over me. I was in a frenzy. Before I knew it, I took the entire bottle. I thought, 'now I can have peace.' I wasn't thinking that I wanted to die."

"I can't believe you'd want to leave me," Jason said accusingly.

"I didn't. I don't!" she said emphatically. "I swear!"

"You know we love you, right?" Sebastian asked. "You know that we would be heartbroken without you. You are the heart of the family. We would never recover from your loss." He reached out and grabbed her other hand and kissed it.

Her eyes filled with tears. "I know, Papa," she said.

"You haven't called me Papa in a very long time," he said, smiling. "Tell your Papa who hurt you. I promise, mia cara, I will do anything you ask. I just can't bear you being in pain. I can't bear you wanting to end your suffering in such a dramatic way again."

"You won't make me leave?" she asked hopefully.

"I think it would be good for you to come home for awhile. You only have a few weeks left of the semester. I'm sure we can get the doctor to write you a note. Finish your classes at home. You need to rest. I want you to see our doctor at home. You need someone to talk to, mia figlia. You have been silent too long," Sebastian said.

"I can return next semester? You promise?" Jazmin asked him.

"I promise. But on one condition. I want you to move back in with your brother," Sebastian said.

"What about Eli? He lives there. Grandmother won't like that," Jazmin said.

"He can move somewhere else," Sebastian said with a careless shrug.

"He's so mad at me right now I doubt he'll care," Jason said.

"I need you to promise me you won't go after the guy," Jazmin said. "And you will keep Eli from doing anything."

"Eli is his own man. I don't control what he does or doesn't do," Jason said.

"Promise me you'll try," she said.

"Fine. I promise to not kill the guy who hurt you or encourage Eli to," Jason said. "Now give me a name!"

"I don't want to tell the story twice," she said. "Call the Sheriff. Let him take a report while I tell the story."

"Anyone else? Your roommates? Eli?" Jason asked.

"Yes, Eli. But I'd rather you just call Veronica. She can tell Mac and Parker. I know that since they live with me they'll feel guilt they shouldn't feel over what happened. I think hearing it from me will be too upsetting. Veronica's tougher though. She'll want to hear it firsthand," Jazmin said.

"Okay, I'll call them and see if they can get here before class,"Jason said. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back in a bit."

Jazmin felt both scared and relieved. Telling what had happened to her wouldn't be easy. However, she was glad that the lies would finally be at an end.

******_*The Beach House*_*******

Keith stopped by his daughter's before going in to work. He needed to have a little chat with his troubling making little darling.

He rang the bell. Dick opened the door. "Mornin', sir. Are you hear to see Ronnie?" Dick asked.

"No, I came to see you. Got some tickets you haven't paid," Keith said with a stern look on his face. He had to bite back a smile at the look of panic and alarm that came over Dick.

"What? No way! I always pay my tickets! I swear!" Dick exclaimed with wide eyed innocence.

Keith finally laughed. "Relax. I was kidding. Of course, I'm here to see my daughter," Keith said.

"Oh. Good," Dick said in relief. "Ronnie! Your dad's here!" Dick bellowed. "I gotta get to school. Later, dude."

Keith shook his head. No point in telling Dick to not call him "dude". He wasn't even aware that it was not polite.

Logan came into the living room. "Hey, Keith. She'll be right out," Logan said.

Veronica appeared a minute later. "Good morning, Dad. What brings you here so early?" she asked.

"You and I need to have a little chat, young lady," he said.

"I'll let you two have some privacy," Logan said.

"No. You should stay here. This concerns you, too," Keith said. "I know you probably heard about Madison and Lauren Sinclair getting arrested yesterday for drugs."

"Yes. I was with Mac when Lauren called," Veronica said.

"And?" Keith prompted.

"And what?" Veronica said.

"Do I need to start quoting Ricky Ricardo? You have some explaining to do!" Keith said with a frown. "Tazering Madison? Threats? Harassment? Turning my deputies into your own personal lynch mob? This is going to stop now!"

"Lynch mob? Aren't you being a tad melodramatic?" Veronica said.

"I can be melodramatic after getting yelled at for a half an hour by the Sinclairs," Keith said glaring. "Then your old pal Leo, who I'm thinking of suspending, confessed that you set certain things in motion."

"Dad-"

"Not a word, Veronica. All I want to know is who planted the drugs?" he asked.

"It wasn't me. I had nothing to do with that," Veronica said.

Keith turned to Logan and raised an eyebrow. "What? Me? I'd never lower myself to planting drugs," Logan said with a scoff. "How do you know they weren't hers?"

"Well, I don't for sure. I made her take a drug test. She tested negative for cocaine but positive for marijuana," Keith admitted. "I think that fact silenced her angry parents. I promised to drop the charges."

"Seriously?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"What do you expect, Veronica? Since my own daughter's involved to some degree, I couldn't in good conscience let it go any further," Keith said.

"Madison isn't even sorry that I lost my baby," Veronica said bitterly.

"Honey, some people never change no matter what you do. After what your own mother did, you should know that," Keith said. "Madison is who she is. There's no changing that."

Veronica glanced at Logan and then faced her dad. "Uh, Dad, about Mom. You should know that Logan tracked her down recently," Veronica revealed. "She's in Portland. She's been sober a year."

Keith took a moment to process that and said, "Good for her. But it doesn't change anything, sweetheart. I still don't see her here being a mother to you," he said. "Sometimes you just have to accept people the way they are. No amount of wishing or wanting-or in your case-torture will change them." His phone rang. He held up a finger. "Give me a second." He answered the call. "Yes, I'll be right there. I am at Veronica's, so I'll tell her." He hung up and looked at Veronica. "That was Jason. Jazmin wants to tell her story, and she'd like you and I to be there. She doesn't want to tell it twice."

"I'll grab my things," Veronica said. "Can you drop me off on campus afterward?"

"Sure," he said. "And sweetie, lay off Madison. I don't want to hear anymore about you pulling my deputies into your revenge plots. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," she said. "But I hope you weren't serious about suspending Leo. He was just being a good friend."

"I am. If he's going to be my deputy, he is going to take his orders from _me_. Not my daughter. Maybe you should think about that the next time you try to involve him in your shenanigans," Keith said grimly. Keith looked at Logan.

"Hey, I don't have any relationships with your deputies that don't involve them putting handcuffs on me at one time or another," Logan said with a smirk.

"Keep it that way," Keith said.

"I'll meet you in your car," Veronica said. Her dad nodded and walked out the front door. Veronica went into the kitchen to grab her school books that she'd left on the table.

Logan followed her. "Do you want me to go with you?" he asked.

"No, go to class in case I'm late for the review," she said. "Mac's distracted and may not get good notes."

"This won't be easy for you, you know," Logan said with concern.

"I know," Veronica said with a sigh. "But she's my friend, and I want to be there for her."

"Well, I'll be here for you," Logan said. He pulled her in for a hug.

Veronica let herself lean against Logan a moment. Sometimes she wished she and Logan could just go somewhere and stay just the two of them. Let the whole world disappear. At least for awhile. She leaned up and kissed him. "I love you," she said. "I'll call you if I'm going to be very late for class."

She said goodbye and headed outside to her dad.

Logan wished he could prevent the pain he knew Jazmin's recitation would cause. He hated to think of what Jazmin went through. However, Veronica had went through her own share of nightmares. Logan would give anything to protect her forever. One day they'd have their happy ending. Logan would make sure of it.

*****_*Back at the Hospital*_*****

When Veronica and Keith walked into Jazmin's hospital room, Jason was standing on one side of the bed, and her dad was sitting in the chair on the other side.

Jazmin gave Veronica and Keith a nervous smile. Veronica went and gave her a hug. "Are you feeling better?" she asked.

"I am. Thanks. I'm really sorry for putting you and everyone through this. I don't want to die. I want you to know that. I'm not sure what I was thinking," she said with regret.

"You weren't. You were obviously traumatized over whatever's been going on. Talk to us," Veronica said. She squeezed her hand.

Jazmin looked over at her brother. "Where's Eli?" she asked.

"He's not coming. I couldn't reach him. I got a hold of Nico. He said that he and Eli were on a job and couldn't be here until lunch," Jason said.

Jazmin looked disappointed but nodded. "Okay. We'll I guess I'll just get started. I want you to know I'm sorry for not being honest," she said, looking at Veronica and then her brother.

"It's okay. I've been known to bend the truth a time or two for a good reason," Veronica admitted.

"A time or two?" her father said incredulously. Veronica glared at him and turned back to give Jazmin and encouraging look.

"Well, a few weeks ago I was on campus in the cafeteria doing homework and waiting for Eli to get off of work," Jazmin said.

"What day?" Keith asked.

"It was three Fridays ago. The day Piz flew in," Jazmin said. "I got a text message from Wallace telling me he needed to talk to me about Piz and Parker and wanted me to come by his room. Since Parker was torn between Duncan and Piz, I thought it was something to do with that and didn't think anything of it."

"We saw the text," Veronica supplied.

Jazmin nodded and continued, "When I got to his room, he wasn't there. But David was. He had the radio blaring. He told me Wallace stepped out for a minute but should be right back and invited me inside to wait. I didn't even think about it. I just stepped inside the room," Jazmin said, a hollow look in her eyes as she recalled the day. "He turned the music down slightly, but he didn't turn it off. I realize now that he had it on for a reason. He wanted noise to drown out my screams."

Veronica looked sick as her eyes met Jason's across the bed. Jason looked even worse. Veronica knew that however bad this was for her to hear, it had to be much worse for him.

Jazmin looked over at her father. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I was so stupid. He wouldn't let me leave," she said, her eyes filling with tears.

Sebastian got up from his chair, and Veronica moved to let him get to his daughter. He picked up her hand. "Don't you ever apologize to me! You have no guilt here, my dear," he said.

Jazmin gave him a grateful smile and wiped her eyes. "I tried to not panic and talk some sense in him. I kept trying to get to the door. He took my purse and blocked my way. When I finally realized his intentions were to harm me, I made a dash to the door, but he grabbed me and turned up the volume on the radio," she shared. "Then he pulled out this big hunting knife."

"Oh God," Veronica said, sickened at the thought. She looked over at her own father, who was writing down what Jazmin said.

"He said a bunch of harsh things and threw me on the bed. I begged him to stop. He put the knife at my throat and threatened to kill me, so I quit fighting him," she said. "He raped me."

Jason knew the words were coming but hearing her say them destroyed him. He stepped away from her, unable to look at her.

Jazmin mistook his action. "I'm sorry, Jason. I tried to fight him, but he was so much stronger than me. He hit me once. That was all it took," she said, shame and guilt obvious on her face.

Her brother turned back to her. "Don't you dare apologize to me! Not ever! This is _not_ your fault! You had every reason to trust Wallace's roommate. He did. So did I. I never ever dreamed he was a threat to you," Jason said, holding her hand again. "I am the one who should apologize to you for not protecting you."

"I screamed for you. I screamed for Eli. For Wallace. For someone to come help me. But no one did," she admitted in a small voice.

Veronica started crying, her heart breaking as she pictured the scene-an all too familiar scene. But Veronica had been lucky. Someone had heard her screams. She had been saved. At least the second time. With Cassidy, she had both the blessing and curse of not remembering. Listening to Jazmin's tale, however, made her think for the first time that maybe ignorance really was bliss.

"I'm so sorry, sis. I am so sorry," Jason whispered, his eyes wet with his own tears.

"When it was over, I put my clothes back together. I made it easy for him by wearing a skirt that day," she said bitterly. "I asked to leave. He told me that if I said a word I wouldn't be believed 'cause there was no proof. He had worn a condom, and he hadn't hurt me. He actually believed that. He acted so casual about it like it wasn't a big deal. I realized then he was a true sociopath."

"The bastard!" Jason exclaimed. His rage and hatred for the man rose inside of him. He wasn't sure he could keep his promise to his sister. However, she knew him well. She looked at him with those eyes of hers. The eyes that had kept him in check his entire life. "You promised me. You promised," she said, knowing his internal battle. Jason couldn't give her the words, but he nodded.

"I was angry at his blasé attitude and told him that he would regret what he did. I told him that my family and Eli would kill him for hurting me," she said. "He seemed unconcerned about my dad since he was in Chicago. Then he told me that he'd kill Eli and Jason and make their bodies disappear if they came after him. He said he knew how close I was with Jason. Wallace talked a lot. He knew I wouldn't want to ruin my brother's life. And he was right."

"He let me leave. I went home. I wanted to call you," she said to Keith. "I knew that you'd help me and that you'd put him in jail so he wouldn't hurt my brother or Eli."

"Why didn't you?" her father asked. "Why didn't you call one of us? It kills me that you said nothing to no one."

"I was afraid. I knew it would destroy Eli. He's such a fierce protector. He's like you, Papa. He'd never rest until David was punished. I love him," Jazmin said. "I didn't want him to carry that. I also knew how much it hurt Jason when Joseph hurt me. I know how much he blamed himself. I didn't want him to go through that again. Why should they suffer for my stupidity? I shouldn't have stepped into that room."

Veronica spoke up. "You had no way of knowing what was about to happen. None at all," she said. "Some people are good at fooling you. I had absolutely no suspicions of Moe, one of the campus rapists. He was so nice and sweet. I thought Mercer could be guilty, but it never occurred to me that there was two working together. And I never would've believed it was someone like Moe. He seemed so harmless. You can't always know, Jazmin. Dick's brother, Cassidy, was the last person I or anyone else would've picked to be both a rapist and a mass murderer. He was so good at pretending." Veronica recalled the night his mask had slipped. The night he'd used her own tazer on her and the ugliness came spilling out. It was like he was a different person. One she neither knew or recognized

"That's often the way it is with predators," Keith said. "They have two personas. One for the public and one they reveal only to their victims. Some of the worse serial killers in history were said to be the nicest guys by their neighbors and friends. No one suspected the darkness underneath."

"How did you get the bruises on you? If David only hit you once that day, how are you now covered in bruises?" Jason asked.

"I had a slight bruise on my cheek over where he hit me, but it faded after a few days," Jazmin said. "When I got home this Friday afternoon, David was waiting for me."

"He broke into your house?" Keith asked.

"No. The backdoor had been left unlocked," she admitted.

"This is why I want you to go live with your brother. He will make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen," Sebastian said.

"It's an innocent mistake," Keith said. "We can't always prevent bad things or protect our children."

"Well, encouraging them to go into the police field is one sure way to make sure they stay in danger their entire lives," Sebastian said judgmentally.

"Dad!" Jazmin said in embarrassment at her father's rebuke.

"Daughters should be kept safe and protected. Not encouraged to risk their lives in foolish pursuits," Sebastian said flatly.

"Some fathers believe that a strong, independent daughter is a good thing. They teach their daughter to think for themselves and to how to protect themselves. They know that predators can be found anywhere," Veronica said pointedly.

"Enough! Now is not the time to argue," Jason said to all of them. He looked at his sister. "Tell us what he did."

Jazmin nodded. "He was angry at me for what I had done the week before. I had ran into him at the Java Hut and my reaction to his presence wasn't lost on his friends. He said I embarrassed him and needed to be punished. He took his belt to me. 'Bad girls must be punished' he said like someone had trained him," Jazmin shared. "I bet his parents are real psychos, too."

"Why didn't you report it?" Keith asked. "Now we can at least get him on assault and breaking and entering."

"Not rape?" Jason asked.

"There's no physical evidence of a rape and weeks have passed. I doubt the DA will prosecute," Keith admitted. "I will get pictures of your bruises now though and issue a warrant for his arrest."

"So he's just going to get away with raping her?" Jason asked incredulously.

"I never said that," Keith said. "I will do everything I can to see him prosecuted fully. I will send a female deputy here to take the photos."

Sebastian said not a word. He had no faith in the law and was not surprised at the Sheriff's words. One way or another, the man would pay for hurting his daughter.

****_***Eli and Nico*_*******

Eli and Nico watched David's parents leave for work. They were across the street in a rental car.

"Let's go," Nico said, getting out of the car. They had decided to try the back door first, so they wouldn't be noticed by any neighbors. The backyard was surrounded by a privacy fence. It didn't take Nico long to pick the backdoor lock. Nico indicated they should take the stairs. There was a bedroom at the top of the stairs. He peeked in and saw David asleep in the bed. "Check the other rooms and make sure no one else is here," Nico whispered to Eli.

It didn't take them long to determine that the house was empty except for David. They quietly opened the bedroom door, and Nico took out his gun. Eli moved ahead, determined to be the one to get to David first. He punched him hard in the stomach. He woke up with a gasp and look of alarm.

"Make a sudden move and you're dead," Eli said indicating Nico's gun. "Do you know who that is?"

David nodded recognizing the twins' uncle and Eli's business partner. He had spent the day at their work with Wallace when their commercial was filmed. "What do you want?" David asked angrily.

"We want answers," Eli said grimly. "We want to know what you did to Jazmin?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen her in a few weeks," David said sullenly.

"I don't believe you," Eli said.

David grinned. "I guess you're not as dumb as you look. To tell you the truth, the last time I saw her was about three weeks ago when she came to my room looking for Wallace. She was upset and needed a shoulder to cry on," David said with a smirk. "I was happy to supply the shoulder and offer her my comfort."

The sight of his smirk enraged Eli, and he hit David hard in the face. "Do that again and you better be prepared to shot me 'cause I'm not going to sit back and let some dumb wetback give me a beating," David said angrily.

"Your death can be arranged," Eli said grimly.

"Back off," Nico said to Eli. He looked at David. "Did you touch Jazmin?" he asked him.

"Well, gee, sex usually involves touching," he said with a snicker.

The sight of his smug expression made Eli's vision dim. He snapped and jumped on David. Throwing punch after punch in a furious assault that left David little opportunity to retaliate. His hits were so fast and furious that David was unable to defend himself. Nico reached down and pulled Eli off of him.

"Stop it! Now! Get control!" Nico ordered in a loud, stern voice. "This is not the time."

David spit some blood. "You're going to regret that," he said coldly.

"My only regret is that you're still alive," Eli said angrily.

Nico's phone rang. "It's Jason," he said. Eli looked at his own silent phone and saw he had some missed calls from Jason. "Answer it. My ringer was off. It could be about Jazmin."

Nico answered it while keeping the gun trained on David. "We're on a job. Yes, he's with me," Nico said. He looked at his watch. "Maybe by lunch." He disconnected. "We need to go. Jazmin needs you. She's ready to talk."

Eli gave David a satisfied smile. "Looks like your days are numbered. If you're dumb enough to come back to Neptune, you'll regret it," Eli said.

David watched them leave, rage filling him. The only thing he regretted was not killing Jazmin's boyfriend before she got so serious about him. Then maybe he wouldn't have had to force her. Maybe things would be different. David consoled himself with a thought. Who says things can't still be different? It's never too late to correct his mistake.

********_Chapter End*********_

_I love love love your reviews! Thanks_!


	29. Chapter 29

**I apologize for making you wait longer than usual for this update. I have been so busy. I went out of town for spring break and have been behind ever since. I did find time to outline the next several chapters, though, so I know where we're going with this. As Jazmin's storyline mostly comes to an end, I will be focusing on other stories as this chapter will give some hints about. I anticipate this story going to forty chapters. That's my goal at least. I hope you're not sick of it and want to keep reading about the characters I've borrowed and created.**

**If you haven't yet had a chance to donate to the new Veronica Mars movie, please do so. We set records with the money raised. Now we can set a record for the amount of backers. Even $1 donations will add to the movie's reputation. So please show your passion with a few well spent dollars!**

Chapter 29: Love Lost

******_Monday on Campus*******_

Since she had been at the hospital hearing Jazmin's horrible tale, Veronica had missed her morning classes and met up with Logan as soon as she had pulled herself together enough to be seen in public. He was waiting for her outside of the cafeteria. She didn't say a word. She just went straight into his arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"No. Just hold me," she said against his chest. Only in his arms did she feel safe. Would Jazmin ever feel safe again? After a few minutes, she lifted her head. "It was horrible, Logan. Just hearing it tore me up. I understand now why she swallowed those pills."

Mac came up to them. "Hey. Is everything okay?" she asked in concern.

"Not really. I heard Jazmin's statement to my dad. Let's go inside and get a table. I'll fill you in. Jazmin wanted me to tell you. She thought it'd be too upsetting for you and Parker to hear it firsthand," Veronica shared.

They went into the cafeteria. Mac and Logan grabbed some lunch while Veronica found them a table. Logan grabbed a coffee and salad for Veronica even if she said she wasn't hungry.

"You better eat first. Believe me, once you hear the story, you'll lose your appetite," Veronica said sadly.

"I guess we can talk about something else first," Mac said. "Maybe we can talk about what you have planned to ruin Madison's life this week that way I'm not blindsided again." She gave Veronica a pointed look.

Veronica looked at Logan. "Well, there's a standing order for Weevil's uncle to make her car disappear," Veronica admitted.

"Great! Just great!" Mac said sourly.

"Well, Dad told me that he's not pursuing charges for the cocaine possession," Veronica said.

"That's the least he can do considering Logan was the one who had the drugs planted," Mac said in annoyance. When she saw their look of surprise, she said, "Dick told me."

"Dick's got a big mouth," Logan said.

"He's not going to keep something like that from me. That wasn't your secret. It concerned my family," Mac said.

"Did you also know that Dad said Madison _did _test positive for marijuana?" Veronica asked.

"Really?" Mac said brightening.

"Okay, I'm done," Logan said finishing his burger. "Tell us what Jazmin said."

"Mac's still eating," Veronica pointed out.

Mac held up her finger. "Give me a minute," she said as she finished her salad.

"Eat yours," Logan ordered. He stuck the fork in it and tried to get Veronica to eat. She shook her head.

"My stomach is still in knots. Maybe later," she said. Then she began to share Jazmin's tale.

Logan was angry. He hated to hear any story of a woman being abused or mistreated. He found himself wishing CW was alive. He knew Duncan would feel the same way. This David fellow had to go. "I can't believe your dad isn't going to go after him for rape!" Logan said angrily.

"Dad's going to do everything he can. Rape is hard to prove without physical evidence. Jazmin waited too long to report it," Veronica said. "But the recent attack can be punished. Dad has a warrant out for his arrest. When he returns, he'll be arrested."

"That's good," Logan said grimly.

Mac was horrified. "This is so awful! I don't know what to say. I just can't believe this. David is a monster and none of us knew," Mac said softly. She brushed away a tear. "Poor Jazmin."

"It's not the first time we've been fooled," Veronica said grimly. "I know Wallace isn't going to get past this very easily."

"I've got to go," Mac said as she checked the time. "I'll talk to you guys later."

After she left Logan said, "See, Mac is still talking to you. She loves us even if we've made her life difficult."

"I don't want to lose anyone else, Logan. Almost losing Jazmin was bad enough. Mac is my center. I depend on her. I don't want to hurt her to hurt Madison," Veronica said.

"Then don't," Logan said, reaching for her hand. "I'll deal with Madison."

"You know there was one thing I left out about what Jazmin told us," Veronica said. "She said she screamed for Eli, for Jason, for Wallace. Anyone to help her and no one did. It was the worse thing to hear."

Logan moved his chair closer to her and put his arms around her. "She'll get through this," Logan said.

Veronica looked up at him. "Every time I screamed for help you were there," she said softly, her eyes full of love and gratitude.

"I'll always be there," Logan vowed.

"I wish someone had been there for Jazmin. That someone had heard her cry out," Veronica said.

"We're here now for her. She's going to be okay," Logan said.

"Promise me that you'll never leave me," she said.

"I'll never leave you. If you try to leave me, I'll follow you like a love sick puppy," Logan said making her smile.

"I guess I'm stuck with you," she said.

"Always," he said. He bent down and kissed her. "So when are we going to start planning this wedding of ours?"

Veronica smiled. "Ready to get shackled?" she asked.

"Ready to be my ball and chain?" he asked with a grin.

"Can't wait!" she enthused. "Maybe it'll keep you in line."

"Never!" he vowed and kissed her again.

*****_*After Class*_******

Mac went by the Sinclairs after her last class. She wanted to catch Marilyn at home before her sister or Madison made it home for the day. Marilyn seemed surprised to see her but welcomed her warmly.

"I was hoping we could talk in private before everyone came home," Mac said.

"Sure. Would you like a snack or something to drink?" Marilyn asked.

"Some herbal tea would be nice," Mac admitted. They went into the kitchen. Mac was silent while Marilyn prepared the tea for her.

When they were sitting across from one another at the kitchen table, Mac began, "I am really upset over this mess with Madison, and I wanted to talk about it."

"Honey, I know you're not responsible for your friend. Don't worry about it," Marilyn said easily.

Mac was annoyed at her comment. "I'm not here to apologize. Veronica is her own person. I am both pissed and hurt that you automatically took Madison's side. It's like you and Stephen refuse to see her the way she really is or you're indifferent. I'm not sure which it is. Normally, I wouldn't care. She's your problem. But now she's getting Lauren upset and angry with me," Mac said. "I've wanted a sister my entire life and now I have one. I'm not going to let her ruin it."

"She can't do that. Lauren loves you. She and Madison have never been particularly close," Marilyn admitted.

"Lauren's great. That's why I just don't understand why you and Stephen just ignore Madison's bad behavior," Mac said. "It upsets me that you guys do nothing to curb her rude behavior."

"Believe me, I've tried. But Stephen has always spoiled her, and then it was just impossible for anything I said to make much a difference," she said with a sad smile.

"You could at least make her take responsibility for her actions," Mac pointed out. "At the party, you-not just Stephen-immediately saw her as a victim. It didn't seem to matter that she attacked a guest in your home without provocation. Madison got angry because Veronica dared take Lily upstairs to the bathroom. She hit Veronica twice. A girl she knew was pregnant. The fact that Veronica bloodied her nose does _not _excuse what she did."

Marilyn sighed. She agreed with Mac. Madison was a spoiled brat and a challenge to love at times. Sometimes she felt guilty for secretly wishing she had switched back when they were three and the switch was discovered. Madison was difficult and often cruel. Marilyn knew this, but she felt helpless to do anything. She looked at Mac with regret but said nothing.

Mac was disappointed at Marilyn's lack of response. She felt real anger toward her for the first time. She stood up and looked at Marilyn. "You know I have very little in common with my parents. I always felt like I didn't quite fit them. Finding out I was technically adopted was a relief. It explained so much," Mac said. "But I don't regret being raised by them because they taught me manners. They taught me some decency. They gave me compassion. I wasn't raised entitled or to think I was better than everyone else. Madison may or may not have caused Veronica's miscarriage, but she physically assaulted Veronica-a girl who was trained by professionals, including the FBI, to protect herself. But you and Stephen didn't have a word to say about her rudeness. 'Poor Madison has a bloody nose! Poor Madison was tazered!' She told Veronica, a woman who just lost her baby, that her baby was better off dead because it wouldn't have to have her for a mother. Veronica doesn't pull out her tazer for no reason. She's had a hard past few years. It has made her strong and unforgiving. But if Madison had shown any repentance at all or shown Veronica any compassion, Veronica wouldn't be so determined to make her suffer. There is no excuse for her bad behavior. None at all."

After saying that, Mac turned to leave. Marilyn reached out and grabbed her hand. "Please, don't go! Don't leave angry with me! I can't bear it! I know I failed with Madison. We tried to make up for her not being ours. For not being you. We went too far. Now she's who she is. I don't know that we can make much difference in her now," Marilyn said regretfully. "But I don't want to lose you. I love you. You're every thing I could've every wanted or asked for in a daughter."

Mac wasn't indifferent to Marilyn's heartfelt appeal. She did feel a connection to this woman who gave birth to her. She mattered to Mac. "I'm not going anywhere. But I'm not going to come over and be harassed over my friends, especially when you guys do nothing to curtail Madison. She isn't my problem. She's yours, and I don't want Lauren hating me over whatever B.S. Madison has told her," Mac said.

"I'll talk to her. To both of them. I promise," Marilyn assured her. She felt relieved when Mac let her hug her goodbye.

******_Neptune Memorial Hospital******_

Eli made it back to Neptune before three in the afternoon to see Jazmin. He started to go into her room when Jason came out.

"Wait, Eli. We need to talk," Jason said, blocking his way.

"I have nothing to say to you," Eli said grimly.

"Well, I have something to say to you. Jazmin told us what happened to her, and since you weren't here to hear it, I don't want her to have to repeat it," Jason said. "Let's go in the lounge, so I can fill you in."

Eli followed him and sat down in a chair to listen to what Jason had to say. He listened without interrupting. He felt the rage he'd experienced earlier build within him as Jason's tale unfolded.

"She said she was so afraid for us, that we'd try to get vengeance or that he'd kill us, that she kept silent. She was afraid also that Dad would make her leave Neptune permanently," Jason said at the end.

Eli had heard enough. He stood without comment and went directly to Jazmin's room. She looked up in surprise at his sudden appearance. Joy and apprehension both appeared on her face as she looked at him. When he didn't say anything but simply looked at her, she frowned. "Eli?"

He moved closer until he could reach out and touch her. "So it was better for me to think you cheated on me? That was your solution?" he asked, unwilling to let her completely off the hook. The thought of her betraying him had hurt him to his core. Nothing in his entire life had ever wounded as much.

"I'm so sorry," she said with regret. Her eyes filled with tears. "I really am. Please tell me that I haven't ruined things. I know I made a mess of everything. Please forgive me!"

Eli reached out for her hand. His other hand went to the top of her head. He stroked her hair gently. "I will never stop loving you," he told her. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I need for you to focus on getting better, not worry about me or us. You and I will work things out when you're feeling stronger."

She smiled in relief. She had been so afraid that she'd lost him forever. "Dad wants me to go home for the rest of the semester. There's only a few weeks of classes left," she shared.

"That's probably a good idea. You need time away. You'll feel better. It'll be good for you," Eli said.

"I'll miss you. Do you think you could come spend Christmas with me?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll try. It depends on work. Nico will probably want to go home to Chicago, too," Eli said. "You'll come in for V's wedding on New Year's Eve though, right?"

She nodded. "We'll ring in the new year together for sure," Eli told her. He kissed her again.

******_Later in the Afternoon******_

Duncan finished his last class and was about to head to the parking lot when he spotted Parker sitting alone on a bench. He walked toward her and saw she was obviously upset.

"Hey, Parker," he called out. When she looked up, he could see she'd been crying. He sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"I just got off the phone with Mac. Jazmin was raped and physically assaulted by David, Wallace's roommate, in Wallace's room a few weeks ago," Parker shared.

"What?" Duncan asked in disbelief.

Parker filled him in on the details Mac had given her. "I just can't believe I, of all people, was so oblivious to what she was going through. I was raped and assaulted myself my freshmen year. I should've sensed something," Parker said, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Jazmin's really private. We dated for a few months before she told me about her father's notorious connections. I'm sure her brother didn't know either about what David did to her," Duncan said, trying to make her feel better. "I wish she'd told someone though. She has a lot of people that care about her."

"You know after my rape, I joined a support group for rape victims. I was amazed to find out how few of the victims even reported their crime. There were even a few girls there who never told a single person in their life, only the other women in the group," Parker shared.

"Did Veronica ever give you details about her own experience?" Duncan asked.

"She told me she was drugged and raped, but she didn't remember anything," Parker said.

"Well, at that party, Logan slipped GHB in my drink, too, in a twisted ploy to get me to loosen up. It wasn't just Dick's brother who slept with her that night. I did, too," Duncan revealed.

"What? You assaulted Veronica?" Parker asked in horror.

"No!" Duncan exclaimed equally horrified at her conclusion. "She was in a room alone. I was checking on her, and she kissed me. She told me that she missed me. I wasn't thinking about anything, but how much I loved her and there she was. It seemed so natural and easy. She seemed to want me, too. When she didn't mention anything to me about it the next time I saw her, I just thought she wanted to forget it. I didn't realize she'd been drugged. When I found out she had no memory of the event and believed she'd been raped, I was shocked. It had sickened me that I'd slept with a girl I thought was my sister. But to know she felt violated, devastated me. It wasn't until we got back together that I knew she'd forgiven me and she didn't feel I had victimized her. As a father of a little girl, rape seems a particularly horrible crime. I hate that Veronica's first time was so awful, but I'm sort of glad she doesn't remember."

Parker felt touched that he'd share something so personal with her. Something that did not put him in the best light. "Not remembering is both a blessing and a curse. Some days not knowing who had raped me made me fearful of every man I came in contact with. I didn't know who to trust. It was not a good way to live. I'm sure Veronica felt the same way," Parker said. She wiped her eyes. She felt better talking to someone about this.

Duncan reached for her hand, wanting to comfort her. However, his touch didn't bring comfort. Instead, an awareness sprung up between them. Their eyes locked as they silently gazed at one another. Finally, Duncan spoke, "Are you really satisfied with Piz?" He knew he shouldn't asked, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

Parker struggled a moment with her reply. His eyes held both love and longing. It wasn't easy to resist, especially when she wasn't indifferent to him. She nodded. "He's going home with me for Thanksgiving to meet my family," she shared.

Duncan let go of her hand. "Okay. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving," he said politely. He got up and walked away.

Piz was heading to Wallace's dorm room to help him move out and spotted Duncan getting up from the bench Parker was sitting on. He wasn't happy to see them together. Duncan had been sitting really close to her before he got up. He walked to her and sat down on the bench. "Hey. What's going on?" he asked.

"Too much," she said warily.

"Why were you looking so chummy with Duncan?" Piz asked, clearly unhappy.

Parker looked up at him in surprise. He wasn't the jealous type, so his question caught her off guard. However, she looked him in the eye and answered honestly. "He saw that I was upset after talking on my phone to Mac. Jazmin was raped by David. Our suspicions were true," she shared. "Duncan was just seeing if I was okay."

"I hope that was all," Piz said. "I don't mean to sound like a jerk or uncaring about what happened to Jazmin. I just don't want to lose you."

She reached out for his hand. "I wouldn't have invited you to spend Thanksgiving with me and my family if I didn't want to be with you," she told him.

Piz was reassured. "Good 'cause I'm really excited to meet your family," he said with a smile.

Parker hugged him and tried to ignore the guilt she felt over her inner turmoil.

******_Later that Evening******_

Daisy opened her dorm room and smiled to see Jason. "Hey, handsome!" she said, rising up on her toes to kiss him. His lack of response caused her to pull back and look at him in puzzlement. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Daisy, but we need to talk," he said, a haunted look in his eyes.

"Is it your sister? Is she okay? I thought she was doing better?" Daisy asked in concern.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on her bed next to him. He turned and faced her. "She's okay. She's talking, so that's good. Eli is with her. Dad's going to take her home tomorrow. I'll be going with them for Thanksgiving," Jason shared.

"I figured," Daisy said with a shrug. She could tell that something else was wrong and waited for him to tell her.

"Daisy, when I get back, I think we should see less of each other," he said carefully.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not wanting to believe where this was leading.

"I need to spend more time on my school work. My grades are slipping. You and I have been spending so much time together that I've neglected other things," Jason said.

Daisy was stunned and looked at him in disbelief. "You're breaking up with me?" she asked in amazement. She cursed herself for a fool. She hadn't seen this coming. How did she let herself be caught so unaware? "This is about your sister and your father. Not your school work. Veronica told me about that ugly scene with your dad. He doesn't want you to be with me until his perfect daughter is married off. I can't believe you're just going to go along with that!" Her anger quickly replaced her disbelief.

"This isn't about my dad. It's about me. I failed my sister. She almost died, and I didn't even notice she was upset! Eli tried to tell me. He really did. I was too wrapped up in you," he admitted. He was never going to forgive himself for failing her yet again.

"Shame on you for being so busy falling in love," she said bitterly. "Unless that was just a line you used to get me in the sack?"

"Of course not! I care about you. I've never felt like this about a woman. Surely, you know that," he said. He reached for her hand.

"Your dad all but ordered you to break up with me. I know it. Veronica told me, but I wasn't even concerned. I had no clue that you were such a spineless coward!" she spit out, pulling her hand away from him in disgust and growing anger.

"My dad isn't making me do anything," Jason denied. "This is what's best for me."

She looked at him with anger and hurt in her eyes. "What about me? You said you loved me. You said you were serious. You said you wouldn't hurt me. You promised me!" she reminded him bitterly.

Jason looked away, feeling even worse than he'd felt after realizing what he needed to do. He wanted to pull her close and beg her forgiveness for putting her through this. An image of his sister lying so still in the hospital bed came into his mind. He steeled his resolve. "I do love you, Daisy. I have never loved a woman the way I love you. You're all I can think about. That's the problem. I need to focus on other things for awhile."

"Jazmin?" Daisy asked pointedly.

Jason nodded. "Yes, she needs me right now," he admitted.

Daisy gave a bitter laugh. "I don't know why I'm so surprised," she said. Then she took a deep breath and pushed aside her hurt. She got up and faced him. Before he could get up from her bed, she pulled back and slapped him hard across the face. "I will never forgive you for this! You made me love you. You made me trust you, and now you're just going to walk away from me, from us, because I don't matter," she said angrily.

He got up. "You do!" he exclaimed.

"Stop! Not another word! You don't have the right to say another damn word to me!" she said with cold rage. "You want to stay away from me and wait on your sister hand and foot like she's some helpless doll, that's your right. Your family has some serious issues, by the way. What happened to her was horrible, and I feel bad for her. But life is hard and bad things happen. You don't love me enough to make room in your life for me, it's your loss. I damn well aren't going to wait around for you, so get the hell out!"

Jason was taken aback by her anger. "Daisy, please, calm down! I don't want it to be like this between us. You do matter to me! I don't mean to hurt you," he said, trying to get her to understand and feeling helpless at his incompetence.

"Didn't mean to hurt me? You've got to be kidding!" she exclaimed in disbelief. Suddenly, the sight of his concern made her enraged. She pushed him hard. "Get out! Get out! Get out! I don't want to see you! I don't want to talk to you! Get out!" Angry tears fell down at each word she uttered. She hated that she couldn't stop the tears. Feeling vulnerable made her even angrier. She turned away and her eyes fell on her dictionary on her desk. She picked it up and threw it at him. He ducked, and it fell to the ground in a loud thud.

"Daisy! Please stop! I'm sorry!" he said helplessly.

"Get. The. Hell. Away. From. Me," she bit out slowly, her eyes glittered with rage and unshed tears.

Jason finally gave up and with one last regretful look turned and walked out of her room.

Daisy locked the door behind him. She turned and leaned against the door a moment, trying desperately to catch her breath. It was like all the oxygen had went out of the room. Her chest heaved. She just couldn't believe he'd dumped her so easily. The anger that had filled her just moments before left. Sobs wracked her body as she threw herself on her bed and cried.

*****_*Chapter End*******_

_I know you're probably hating Jason right now, but I hope you're not too surprised by this. I hope you saw it coming. Comfort yourself with the thought that she'll make him pay for it. I love your reviews! Thanks for reading! I know there was a lot in this chapter, but please take a minute to share your thoughts!_


	30. Chapter 30

**I hope this update is worth the wait! Enjoy!**

Chapter 30: Getting Better

_******Tuesday Before Thanksgiving******_

A very pissed off Keith headed to J & E looking for Eli. He only found Nico.

"Is Eli here?" Keith asked.

"He's got class on Tuesday and usually comes in later," Nico said. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, maybe. You can tell me what the hell you and Eli were thinking?" Keith asked, his anger obvious.

"About what?" Nico asked smoothly.

"You know what!" Keith said. "I just got a report that David, your niece's rapist and abuser, has lawyered up! I can't even question him now! That's _if_ he steps foot back in this town! What did you and Eli do?"

Nico gave him a surprised look. "How could we do anything? Isn't David in Texas?" Nico asked.

"You know damn well where he is! You two have tipped my hand and made my job a hell of a lot harder!" Keith said. Keith knew Eli didn't have the resources to get to Texas and back so quickly alone.

"Being Sheriff is a thankless job," Nico said with sympathy.

Keith didn't appreciate his sympathy. "Why did you let Eli go to Texas? Did you go with him? I know it wasn't Jason or Sebastian. I've been keeping an eye on them," Keith said.

"We haven't been to Texas. At least I haven't lately," Nico said easily.

"Where were you Sunday night?" Keith asked.

Nico reached into a drawer and pulled out a camera. He had planned for this. He enjoyed the irony of using the Sheriff's own stepson to provide their alibi. Wallace was a good kid to hire for easy, no risk surveillance. "Eli and I were on stake-out. The camera is time stamped," he said, handing it to Keith.

Keith looked down at the camera and scrolled through the pictures. He frowned. "This doesn't prove anything to me. I know Sebastian has a private plane in San Diego and private flights do not have to be logged," Keith said.

"I don't work for Sebastian," Nico said firmly.

Keith gave him a considering look. "Maybe not. But you love Jazmin. I can understand the urge to investigate. But the thing is you've now limited my effectiveness," Keith said grimly. "I'm never going to get the D.A. to press charges now. I hope you and Eli are happy." Without waiting for a response from Nico, he turned and left.

Nico regretted that Keith was angry. But he knew that as hard as Keith would try, the courts would never give them justice for Jazmin. However, unlike Eli, Nico knew that vengeance was best served cold.

******_Jazmin's******_

Jazmin was released from the hospital Tuesday morning. Her dad wanted to head home today. Her grandparents had already lined up a nice facility in Schaumburg, a northern suburb of Chicago, for her to spend time at after Thanksgiving. She didn't protest. She knew that she had let things get too bad. Maybe if she had gotten real treatment when she'd lost her baby a few years ago, she would've had better coping skills. A deep shame for what she had done was slowly growing inside of her. It was hard to believe how low she'd sunk. What had happened to her had not been her fault. On a certain level, she really knew that. However, it had been her and not David that had swallowed those pills. She alone had done that. Jazmin wasn't quite sure how she'd get past all that had been done to her and all she'd managed to do to herself. She'd really hurt her brother, Eli, and her friends by her silence and her actions. For the first time in her life, she knew without a doubt that she had more people in her life than Jason who really cared about her. It made her sad to think she may now lose some of them because of her actions.

Her brother held onto her elbow as they walked up the stairs to the house she shared with Parker and Mac. Her father and Michael were right behind them.

"I really like living with my friends," she said to him.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's not like you won't still get to be with them or see them. Our place is just a few blocks away," Jason said. He opened the door for her.

"Staying with your brother will be best for now," her father added.

When she stepped inside, she blinked in surprise to see all her friends, including Eli there. A banner that said "Get Well Soon! We'll Miss You!" hung across the wall facing the front door. Her surprise was obvious. Her friends grinned and surrounded her. She blinked back tears at their kindness.

"We weren't going to let you leave without letting you know how much we love you," Veronica told her. She hugged Jazmin.

"I hope you get help quickly, so we can see your beautiful face back in town," Duncan said as he smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"I am so sorry I wasn't around more for you to talk to," Mac said. "Parker and I feel pretty awful about it."

"We love you," Parker said.

"Please, don't feel bad! I am so sorry!" Jazmin said sincerely. "It was just such a nightmare. I didn't make the right choice trying to handle it on my own. I know that now."

"Good!" Logan said. "If you're going to hang with us, you gotta know that we don't get mad or sad. We get even!"

"Damn straight!" Dick agreed. "My brothers at the house are already coming up with various plans to beat the shit out of David if he is dumb enough to show his head back in this town. We figure if enough guys are involved, they can't arrest or expel all of us!"

Jazmin was deeply touched by their support. Thea gave her a hug and whispered in her ear, "You are stronger than you realize. Don't see yourself as just a victim."

Wallace pulled her aside, wanting some privacy. He gave her a look filled with such pain and shame. "I don't even know how to begin to apologize to you." He looked at Jason, who stood by her side. "I don't know why I am so gullible. It makes me physically sick that someone I trusted and liked used my friendship to get to you. I hope you can forgive me. Sorry doesn't even begin to cover how I feel."

Eli was standing nearby, waiting for his time with her. He glared at Wallace. He was angry with everyone: himself, Jason, Wallace, and even Jazmin. "Yeah, you really are an idiot!" Eli exclaimed with disgust. Everyone turned at the raised voice.

Veronica, always quick to defend, glared at him. "No, he's not! Don't you dare try to blame Wallace! He is better than all of us and you damn well know it! He isn't cynical or bitter or suspicious! That's how a _normal_ person should be! We are the ones with the issues, Weevil! Wallace looks for the best in people and finds it!" Veronica said hotly.

Eli knew, of course, that Veronica was right. It was the very quality that he liked the most about Wallace. However, it didn't make him feel better. It didn't keep him from resenting Wallace's unknowing hand in what had happened to her. He remained silent.

Wallace just looked miserable and hung his head in shame. Jason spoke up. "Maybe all of us have a little bit of responsibility. I don't know. I know that after David raped her we all could've been a bit more aware of what was going on with Jazmin. However, I don't know that any of us could've done anything to prevent what happened. I've known a lot of bad guys in my life. Normally, I can spot a guy up to no good. But, Wallace, I didn't think David was up to no good. Even though our dad pointed him out the last time he was in town at Veronica and Logan's engagement party, I wasn't concerned. My dad didn't like the look of him. But dad is suspicious of so many that I dismissed his concern. So if anyone could've prevented what happened to her, it would've been me. Then again, you can't be with a person all the time. But, Wallace, we don't blame you," Jason said firmly.

Jazmn reached out and took his hand. "I did cry out for you. I prayed desperately that you'd come back to your room in time to stop him. It was cruel fate that you didn't. However, it wasn't your fault. David is clever. He planned it perfectly. Both times. If I had told someone, maybe he wouldn't have gotten into our house so easily to attack me a second time. That's not on you, Wallace. It's on me," she told him. "I love you and there is absolutely nothing to forgive. It's me that needs forgiveness." She hugged him and then looked around at all her friends who had come closer when Veronica began yelling. "I am truly sorry for not asking for help. I know that each of you would've given it to me. I am so grateful for your kindness and friendship. I will miss all of you."

"You'll be back for our wedding, right?" Logan asked.

"Of course!" Jazmin agreed.

Sebastian stood unobserved several feet from his children watching them with their friends. Michael, ever vigilant, stood next to him. "Boss, the kids have some good people here. It's not a bad place. Probably better than Chicago in many ways," he said to Sebastian.

"Yes, I can see that. It is good that my baby has finally found people she can trust. I know it's foolish of me to be angry at any of them. But it's a father's prerogative to hold those in her life somewhat accountable," he said. However, he knew that people intent on evil could not ever be stopped. That was a fact of life. Monsters could wear masks. David was one of those kinds of monsters. However, Sebastian had not liked the way he'd looked at his daughter last month. It rang an alarm inside of him. But he was not sure that he would've predicted or even suspected the depth of depravity the man possessed.

"Nico said the man is easy to grab at his home if you want to send someone in for him," Michael said.

"Texas is not a state you want to commit a crime in, my friend," Sebastian said. "We are the outsiders there. We will wait for our opportunity and wait until he is dumb enough to come back here."

"He'd be a fool to do so," Michael said.

"Young men often are. Rape is about power, not sex. Guys like him will not be easily cowed," Sebastian remarked. "I know he will return. We will wait."

After chatting some more with Wallace and Jazmin, Veronica looked at Jason and asked, "Where's Daisy?"

Jason looked away and admitted, "We broke up."

"What?" Jazmin asked in surprise. "Why would you break up? You're in love for the first time!"

"I know why!" Veronica said, throwing his father a scathing look. She lowered her voice. "I was there and witnessed that ugly little scene with you and your father. I can't believe you're letting him dictate who you'll date!"

Jazmin looked dismayed. It was obvious that her brother hadn't confessed anything to her. She knew her brother well enough, however, to not say anything with their father close by. Veronica knew no such thing. "You are making the biggest mistake of your life!" she fumed.

"Maybe. But it's the one I need to make right now. If Daisy loves me like she says she does, she'll understand that," Jason said quietly.

Veronica shook her head. "She'll never forgive you. She doesn't let people get close to her easily. She's not going to understand this. I wouldn't," Veronica said.

Jason glanced at Logan. "Logan would say that if we were meant to be together, we'll find our way back to each other," he said.

"True. I would say that," Logan said with a grin. "Veronica and I did."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Logan is a hopeless romantic! What does he know?" she asked.

"Thanks, babe," Logan said dryly.

"Hey, I love you, but how much suffering did I cause you?" Veronica pointed out. Then she turned back to Jason. "Just remember this: 'Be wary of a woman scorned.'"

The doorbell rung, interrupting them. Mac went to it and opened it. It was Keith Mars.

"Dad, do you have news?" Veronica asked.

"Jazmin, I'm glad you're feeling better," Keith said, not answering her question.

"I'm flying home with my dad and Jason in a few hours," Jazmin told him.

"Sheriff, did you come with some news?" Sebastian asked, echoing Veronica.

"Unfortunately, yes," Keith said grimly. He looked pointedly at Eli. "Someone went to Texas and pounded on David. He's hired a lawyer. The D.A. says that there is insufficient evidence to issue a warrant for his arrest for rape. You can still file assault charges, though."

Angry protests broke out from everyone. They all started talking at once. Jazmin said nothing while they all argued with Keith and each other. Veronica was yelling at Eli, obviously convinced he had something to do with David's beating.

Finally, Jazmin asked, "So who pounded on David?" She glanced at her father.

Keith, however, looked at Eli. Jazmin noticed his look. "Eli?" she prodded.

"How would I manage such a feat while being in Neptune?" he asked defensively.

Keith gave him a disbelieving look. Dick spoke up. "Is the guy like half dead?"

"No. I don't think the damage was too extensive," Keith admitted.

"Then it couldn't have been Weevil!" Dick insisted loyally. "Weevil would've killed the dude!"

Jazmin shook her head. "Would you come help me pack?" she asked Eli, not wanting to continue talking about her rapist.

Eli nodded and took her hand. They went upstairs. She went into her room while he stood in the doorway looking at the room. His mind flashed back to the last time he was in the room. He saw her still form, unresponsive on the bed. He couldn't remember a time when he'd felt so scared and impotent.

Jazmin noticed his frozen demeanor. She glanced at the bed and guessed what he was thinking about. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I just don't think I'll ever get the image of you almost dying out of my head," he admitted. He finally stepped into the room.

She went to him and put her arms around his waist, hugging him. "I'm so sorry, Eli. I didn't mean to put you through that. Truly," she said. She pulled back and looked at him.

He knew she meant it. He shook his head clear of the ugly image. "It's okay. You were traumatized. You weren't yourself," he said.

"I love you so much, and I know it'll take some time for us to get back to where we were, but please don't give up on us," she begged.

"Never," he said. He kissed her. When he broke the kiss, she smiled at him, relieved.

She took his hand and led him to the bed. She sat down and tugged him down next to her. "Before I pack, I need to ask you something. It's a favor. It's really important," she said earnestly.

"Sure. Anything. What do you need?" Eli asked her.

"I need you to give me a promise," she replied solemnly.

"Promise for what?" he asked.

"Promise me that you won't pursue David. Please. Don't pursue him, please!" she begged.

"You can't ask me to do that," Eli said.

"Just leave it alone. Please. For me," she pleaded.

"I can't do that," Eli said grimly.

She got up from the bed in frustration. "That's exactly why I didn't tell you to begin with! I didn't want you to have anything to do with David. He's sick and twisted. I don't want you to turn into my father. I don't want blood on your hands! Not because of me! Never because of me!" she exclaimed passionately.

Eli sighed. He hated seeing her upset. She'd been through enough. "Okay. I'll stay away from him. I can't promise what I'll do if I ever lay eyes on him, but I won't take any trips to Texas," he assured her.

When Jazmin's face lit up with relief and happiness, Eli decided that maybe his vengeance could wait.

Downstairs, Jason asked Wallace, "So what's your plans? We could probably get David expelled from campus, so you don't have to move out of your dorm room."

"I'm all for getting the guy expelled, but I can't stay in a room that I know your sister was raped in. That's messed up. I can barely sleep as it is," Wallace said in disgust.

"Yeah, I can see how that would keep a person from sleeping. I wouldn't be able to either," Jason said. He didn't add that he hadn't been able to sleep much the past few days anyways.

Thea was standing next to Wallace and reached out to take his hand. She hated that he was feeling so responsible. Then again she felt some responsibility herself. She knew that David wasn't right. Instead of pushing the issue, she'd let her concerns go. Wallace gave her a grateful look; he squeezed her hand.

"I'm going to move into Dick's family house. He's moving out of the beach house. Veronica and Logan are getting married next month, so he figures it'll give them some privacy. Plus, it's getting a bit crowded over there. His dad is gone most of the time and doesn't want the house sitting empty. After the spring semester starts, Piz and I will get a place together."

Jason looked over at Piz, who was talking to his girlfriend. "He's a good housemate," Jason said.

"It's really cool of you to let him stay with you and Weevil. I know you didn't really know him, but I'm glad to have him back," Wallace said.

"Eli's going to need to find a new place, too," Jason remarked.

"Things are that bad between you?" Wallace asked in surprise.

"Well, things are pretty bad with us, but no, that's not why. Jazmin is going to move back in with me," Jason shared.

"Really?" Thea asked. "She's that scared?"

"No, that's basically the conditions of her being allowed to stay in school here. Dad is pretty upset," Jason said.

"I can understand that," Thea said in sympathy.

"Weevil can't stay there, too? It's a three bedroom," Dick said. He had wandered over and was listening to their conversation. He had yet to learn not to interrupt. "They'd have separate rooms."

Jason looked at him and shook his head. "My grandparents would flip as well as our mother," Jason said.

Mac had walked over to join Dick. She finally asked the question she'd been wondering, "So why hasn't your mom came to see Jazmin?"

"Our mother doesn't deal well in crisis or emergencies," Jason said.

"Sounds like every mother I've ever known!" Dick exclaimed.

"Not mine!" Mac said.

"Or mine," Wallace added.

"Or mine," Thea said grinning at Dick. She really liked him. He was a perfect fit to Mac. They were very different but seemed to complement one another. She hoped that would be the case with her and Wallace.

"It's exactly like mine," Dick said. "She didn't even bother coming in for Cassidy's funeral."

"Sounds like my mom. She stole my college fund and skipped town right after Aaron almost killed me," Veronica shared.

"Our mom isn't quite that bad, but she and Jazmin have never been particularly close," Jason admitted.

"I'm going to go upstairs and check on her," Veronica said.

"Better knock loudly better entering," Dick said with a snicker.

Veronica didn't have to knock on the bedroom door because it was open. Jazmin was handing Weevil clothes, and he was folding them and putting them in her suitcase. She blinked at the sight of the very domestic scene. Weevil kept surprising her.

"Knock, knock," she said. Jazmin looked up and smiled at her, so she stepped in the room. "I just wanted to say goodbye. I also wanted to ask you something."

"Do I need to leave?" Weevil asked.

"No, you can stay," Veronica said. "I wanted to know if you'd be one of my bridesmaids?"

Jazmin looked surprised at the request. Then she smiled her pleasure. "I've never been in a wedding before. I'd be honored," she said. "Thank you."

"Mac is my maid of honor. I haven't asked yet, but I figured she knew that. I'm going to ask Parker and Daisy to be bridesmaids, too," Veronica shared. "Lily will, naturally, be my flower girl. I was thinking that Richie would be the ring bearer. Trina can carry him down the aisle."

"That'll be adorable," Jazmin said, smiling at the picture.

Veronica looked at Weevil. "Logan will probably ask you to be a groomsman. Dick is his best man. Wallace and Duncan will be groomsmen also," Veronica shared.

Weevil was surprised. "I'm no groomsman," he mumbled.

Jazmin grinned at him. She threw her arm around his neck. "You'd make a very handsome groomsman. I've never seen you in a tux," she told him.

"And I'd hoped you never would!"

"I doubt Logan will be wearing a tux, so you can relax. The groomsmen wear whatever the groom wears. Probably just a tie and vest," Veronica told him.

"Well, maybe. If he asks nicely," Weevil said sourly.

The girls laughed. Then Veronica asked, "Did you know your brother broke up with Daisy?"

Jazmin shook her head. "I had no idea. He hadn't said a word. Daisy didn't call you either?" she asked.

"No. She's probably too upset to talk about it right now," Veronica said.

"He's an idiot," Weevil said in annoyance.

Veronica debated what she should tell Jazmin. Then she decided she needed to know. "Well, the night you were hospitalized, Logan and I stayed in the waiting room until your dad arrived. There was a very ugly scene between him and Jason," she shared.

"Really? What happened?" Jazmin asked. When she saw Veronica hesitate, she said, "It's okay. I'm not that fragile."

"Your dad slapped your brother pretty hard and basically told him that it was his fault your were in the hospital and that his main job in life was to watch out for you until you were married," Veronica said with a grimace. She still had a hard time believing what she witnessed.

Jazmin looked sad but not surprised at Veronica's tale. "I wish I could say that was surprising," Jazmin said.

"Your dad all but told Jason to break up with Daisy," Veronica said. "Of course, he was too clever to order your brother to do so. Instead, he piled on the guilt."

"If Jason is that spineless, Daisy is better off," Weevil told her.

"No, Weevil, you weren't there. It was like he was using Jason's love for Jazmin as a weapon," Veronica said. "It was really disturbing."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Jazmin said. "My dad has raised my brother with a strong sense of responsibility, especially concerning me. Since we've been out of Chicago, Jason has given me more breathing room than he ever has before. Now that this has happened his sense of guilt and responsibility will be even stronger." She looked at Weevil. "You can't be blaming him for this, Eli. It's only confirming what my dad said. He in no way could have stopped what David did to me."

"I knew something wasn't right with you and told him more than once. He all but blew me off," Eli said grimly.

"Because I made sure he wasn't concerned," Jazmin said firmly. "I know my brother better than anyone. I know how to manipulate him just like he does me. If I don't want him to be worried about me or pay too much attention, I know how to get him to relax."

"I've managed that feat a time or two with Logan and Wallace. Men tend to see what is in front of them. The smartest of men can be led if you know what to say to them," Veronica said. Weevil rolled his eyes but didn't comment further.

"I'll talk to him when we get home," Jazmin said.

"I'm going to miss you," Veronica said. She gave her a hug. "You take care."

******_An Hour Later******_

Jason was at home packing. He was leaving with his dad and sister for Thanksgiving break in another hour. His doorbell rang. He was surprised to see Chip, Daisy's stepbrother standing there. Before he could greet Chip, he stepped up and punched Jason in the face.

Jason was so startled that he didn't retaliate. He rubbed his jaw. "What was that for?" he asked Chip.

Chip glared at him. "You know damn well what it's for! You hurt my sister. We may not be as close as you and Jazmin, but she's still my family. You got what you wanted from her and then threw her aside," Chip said crossly.

"It wasn't like that! I love your sister. I just need to focus on getting Jazmin better," Jason said.

"You don't hurt someone you love that way," Chip said. "You had better stay far away from her and avoid any Pi Sigmas for the foreseeable future if you know what's good for you. Who would've thought that Dick Casablancas would be better boyfriend material than you?"

Jason said nothing. What could he say? He stepped back and shut the door. He was already miserable and Chip just reminded him why. He was trying to focus on Jazmin, but he missed Daisy so much already. He knew he was risking Daisy moving on to some other guy. The thought made him crazy. He had never even come close to loving a woman before. Now she was all he thought about. Even now when he'd made a real effort to turn his focus to helping his sister, she was never completely gone from his thoughts.

He resumed his packing, thinking about his last conversation with her. He hadn't wanted to break up with her. He had just wanted them to slow things down a bit. He had no desire to be with another woman. In fact, he couldn't even imagine being with anyone else. However, he believed his dad was right. He was too young to be so serious. He needed to make room in his life for all the things that were important to him equally. His school work needed to be a priority so did helping Jazmin. That didn't mean he wanted to cut Daisy out of his life. He just wanted to take a step back. But with Daisy, it was all or nothing. He just couldn't give her all right now. Jason knew that he'd hurt her. He wished there had been another way. With another girl, he might've handled things better, but Daisy was so passionate, so all consuming. He didn't know really a better way to handle things.

Ignoring his own pain, he closed the suitcase.

******_Later in the Afternoon at The Beach House******_

Veronica was snuggled against Logan on the couch watching some mindless television. Dick was on the loveseat. They had just gotten home from their last class for the week. Trina came into the living room and sat down in the recliner.

"Can I talk to you guys?" she asked them.

Veronica sat up. "Of course. What's up?" she asked.

"I was wondering how you guys would feel if I went to New York for Thanksgiving. I really wanted to go see some friends," Trina said.

Veronica frowned. "Well, this is Richie's first Thanksgiving. I don't want him to miss it. Or rather I don't want him to miss it with us!" she protested.

"I don't either, so I was thinking I'd leave him here with you," Trina clarified.

Veronica was surprised. "You want to spend his first Thanksgiving away from him?" she asked.

"He's too young to know anything right now. It's not like he'll remember," she pointed out.

"True," Logan agreed. "It's fine with me."

"All right," Veronica said. "If you're sure that's what you want."

"Thanks! I want to fly out in the morning, so I'm going to go pack," Trina said excitedly.

Veronica looked at Dick. "What are your plans?" she asked him.

"I'm going to spend it in Vegas with my dad," Dick replied.

"Is Mac going?" Veronica inquired.

Dick shook his head. "She doesn't think Vegas is a good way to celebrate the holiday, and the Sinclairs and McKenzies are having a combined dinner," Dick said.

"I can't believe you're going to let her go through it alone," Veronica said in disapproval.

"It wouldn't be so bad for her if you and Logan would quit the torture of Maddie," Dick pointed out.

"We will as soon as Madison realizes she just can't go around treating people, especially Veronica, the way she does," Logan said resolutely.

"How is Mac handling everything?" Veronica wondered.

"You should ask her yourself," Dick said crossly.

"We've been focusing on Jazmin the last few times we talked," Veronica said.

"She's okay," Dick said with a shrug. "I don't want to leave her, but I'll spend Christmas with her. My dad's all alone and has business in Vegas. We're going to leave tomorrow. I'm going to stay the night at Mac's. I'll be back Saturday morning. I'm going to move my stuff to Dad's when I get back on Saturday."

"You don't have to move or rush to get your stuff out," Logan said.

"Are you sure you want to move, Dick? I don't want you to leave unless it's really what you want," Veronica said.

"Yeah, it's a good move. Wallace is already moving his stuff. He's going to stay at his mom's until Saturday. That house is too big to live in alone," Dick said.

"Yeah, that's true," Logan agreed.

Dick asked Veronica, "Do you think Weevil would like to stay there, too? Wallace is only going to stay there until he and Piz get a place together in January. I don't want to be there alone. It's too depressing," Dick said. "Mac's not ready to move in with me. Jason said Weevil was going to have to move out next semester."

Logan laughed at the thought of Weevil living with his friend. "You and Weevil? Now that's a match made in hell!"

"It's a big house," Veronica remarked thoughtfully. "Maybe he could move into the pool house. I don't think he'd be comfortable in the main house, especially when your dad is home."

Dick brightened at the suggestion. "Good point!" he said. He got up. "Well, I better get packing. You two have a fun break without me. Take some pictures of little dude eating his first turkey."

"He's probably only old enough to handle the stuffing," Veronica said, smiling.

Dick just grinned and went to his room.

Later that night Veronica finished getting ready for bed. She crawled into bed next to Logan. She sighed as she laid her head down on his chest.

"This Thanksgiving is kind of sucky. We don't have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving," she complained.

"Sure we do," Logan said. "We can be happy that nothing is physically wrong with you, so we can have kids some day. We can be thankful to have Richie. I know he's not our son, but it's pretty great having a nephew so close. We can also be thankful Jazmin is okay and is getting help."

"Yeah but David is going to get away with what he did!" Veronica reminded him.

"For some reason, I seriously doubt that. I can't imagine that this is the end of it," Logan said.

"You're probably right. I don't see David making it to New Year's. Not with Jazmin's father," Veronica said.

"But mostly what we have to be thankful for is that in five weeks, we will be husband and wife," Logan said, looking down at her.

She smiled. "Very true. Finally, you can't get away from me!" she teased.

Logan looked incredulous. "You're kidding, right?"

She giggled and kissed him. She was really thankful that no matter what happened she and Logan would always be together. They'd finally have their happily ever after. And she knew that even if bad things happened like they'd always tended to do, they'd face it together. She realized that that was definitely something to be grateful for.

******_Chapter End******_

_It's been a stressful week, so make me happy by reviewing! Thanks!_


	31. Chapter 31

**I am sorry for making you wait so long for an update. I have literally had very little time to write due to family drama. However, I am trying to make up for it this weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Not sure what happened but I posted this hours ago but no notices were sent out. So I deleted and reposted. This chapter may be considered rating M for a very quick scene in the beginning. But more like think T.**

Chapter 31: A Time of Thanksgiving

_******Tuesday Night******_

Later that night Mac and Parker were at home. It was, for once, just the two of them. They had finished dinner and cleaned up. Both girls were trying to come to terms with what had happened to their friend and roommate. It had been a whirlwind the past few days.

Parker threw herself down on the couch. "God, I am beat! I haven't even packed yet for my trip home," she said.

"What time is your flight?" Mac asked as she sat down in the chair next to her.

"Very early. Piz and I found the cheapest flight we could, but it's at six in the morning. So I'll be up at four! We'll have to say our goodbyes tonight," she said.

"It's going to be strange having the house to myself. Dick is leaving for Vegas with his dad tomorrow," Mac said.

Parker sat up and looked at her in concern. "Will you be okay staying here by yourself? I'm a little creeped out myself knowing Jazmin was attacked here just a few days ago," Parker said. "I still can't believe this!"

"Yeah, me, too. My bio parents are freaked out about it. I guess my parents felt they had to tell them about it," Mac said warily. "You'll be happy to know they're going to fit the bill for an alarm system. So when you come back, you can feel more secure."

"Wow! I guess that's something. My parents will be happy to know that," Parker said.

"Are you going to tell them about it?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. Maybe a few bits. I don't think I'll mention the word rape, though, or this could be my last semester here," Parker said with a frown.

"Yeah, it does seem like a serious problem with this town," Mac said in disgust.

"I do wish Jazmin wasn't moving out, though," Parker said.

"I know. This entire thing is a nightmare," Mac agreed. "But it'll make her feel safer in the end to be in the same place as her brother."

"True. Not to mention her scary, intense daddy," Parker said.

"I guess we should think about getting a new roommate," Mac said. "Splitting the cost by two will be a lot more to pay."

"I want to save money for next summer's vacation," Parker said. "So I'd rather we get a new roommate instead of just splitting the bills by two."

"Maybe we should ask Thea or Daisy," Mac suggested. "I'd rather not have to interview a roommate but pick someone we already know and like."

"Well, you can decide. I don't know either very well, but they both seem nice. Daisy is a bit bold, but her and Jason are so cute together," Parker said.

"Oh, you didn't hear? They broke up," Mac said.

"Really? Why?" Parker asked in surprise.

"You'll have to ask her. She hasn't actually told me anything. I think she may benefit the most by living with girlfriends. Thea already lives with her sorority sisters," Mac said.

"Well, ask her and if she says no, ask Thea," Parker said.

The doorbell rang and then opened as Dick poked his head in. "Ladies," he said waving at them.

Mac smiled and got up. She reached up to give him a hug. "We're not going to see each other for days and that's how you greet me!" he complained.

Mac laughed. "Well, I didn't want to embarrass Parker," she said.

"By all means, embarrass me!" Parker said with a grin.

Dick took that as permission and laid a big kiss on Mac, who wound her arms around his neck and returned it with enthusiasm.

Parker clapped and whistled. Dick lifted his head and flashed her a smug smile. "Much better!" he exclaimed. Then he bent down and swept her up into his arms.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" Mack yelled as she flung her arms around his neck.

Dick grinned down at her in his arms. "Nope! I'm not gonna see you for like 5 days! I want to remind you of what you're gonna be missing!" he informed her.

"It's only 3 days and nights, you goof! You'll barely notice!" she said.

Dick looked at her like she was insane. "I'll notice," he said dryly. He carried her to her room, forgetting all about Parker.

He kicked the door closed with his foot and gently sat her down on the floor. "I'm sorry you're going to have to spend turkey day with both sets of parents," Dick said.

"Hey, it's fine. I'll be okay," she said. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Dick slipped his hands under her shirt and pushed her back toward the bed without breaking off the kiss.

Mac surprised him by unbuckling his belt and reaching inside and fondling him, causing him to gasp. He stepped back and quickly discarded his clothes. She always laughed at how fast he managed to disrobe. Mac decided to tease him a bit and took her time undressing. She knew that he enjoyed the show.

"You're killing me, babe!" he exclaimed in reverent awe. It didn't matter that he'd seen her naked more times than he could count. It still thrilled him like it was his first time. She was so buttoned down in her everyday life. Even though she streaked her hair unnatural colors, she was mostly a conservative gal. Only he got a glimpse of the vixen she really was. It was the biggest turn on to Dick.

His heart raced in excitement as she looked at him with fire and heat. He loved her when she got like this. She slowly stepped closer to him. "How about I give you a nice Thanksgiving treat?" she suggested with a wicked grin.

Dick returned her grin eagerly. "Whatever you want, Mackie!" he enthused. However, his eyes rolled back in his head when she dropped to his knees and engulfed him in her hot, wet mouth. "God bless America! I love Thanksgiving!" he shouted.

******_The Next Day******_

After driving Parker to the airport the next day and saying goodbye to Dick, Mac decided to stop by campus and check on Daisy. It was still early, and she hoped Daisy would still be in town.

Daisy opened her door. "Well, this is a surprise. Don't you have family to go see?" Daisy asked smiling at her.

"I see them way too often as it is," Mac said. "Remember, I now have two sets of parents telling me how to run my life."

Daisy laughed. "Yeah, I guess that would be a bit much. But come Christmas you'll get double the presents to make up for it!"

"True. I hadn't thought of that," Mac said. She saw the open suitcase. "Are you about to leave? I was afraid I'd miss you."

"You came just in time. Chip is coming soon to get me," Daisy said.

Mac could tell that Daisy wasn't her normal chipper self. There were shadows under her eyes that normally weren't there. "I heard about you and Jason, and I wanted to see how you are doing. Are you okay?" she asked.

Daisy shrugged. "I'm okay. Right now I'm mostly pissed," Daisy said with a frown.

"You know Jason isn't thinking straight right now. He's just upset over his sister almost dying. He'll realize what a mistake he's made," Mac assured her.

"It won't matter. He'll never get another chance to hurt me again," Daisy said grimly. "How's Jazmin doing?" It was obvious to Mac that she didn't want to talk about Jason.

"Pretty good considering. She saw a counselor before leaving the hospital, and her dad has made arrangements for her to see one in Chicago. She'll get through this," Mac said.

"That's good to hear. She and I aren't exactly friends, but I wouldn't wish what happened to her on my worse enemy," Daisy said.

"Her dad is insisting that she move back in with Jason next semester," Mac said.

"Really? I guess that's not too surprising," Daisy said.

"Parker and I were wondering if you'd be interested in moving into her room? We'd love to have you as our new roomie," Mac said smiling.

Daisy was caught off guard by the invitation, but it didn't take her long to respond. Finally, she had something to smile about. "I'd love to! Are you sure? Parker and I don't know each other that well," Daisy said.

"She's really easy to get along with, and she knows how fun you are. That's the biggest requirement in a roommate," Mac said, glad to see Daisy smiling for real.

"I've never had anyone but cousins that were close enough to me to be roommates. You and Veronica are really the first good friends I've made," Daisy said.

Mac reached out and squeezed her hand. "We're very lucky to have you as our friend. I'm sorry that things are so tough for you now with Jason," Mac said.

"Me, too," Daisy said softly, her eyes clouding over. She was ready to leave Neptune for vacation and put all thoughts of Jason out of her mind. She'd try anyway. For some reason, she wasn't so sure she'd be successful.

*******_Dick and Weevil*******_

Dick had an hour before he had to meet his dad to go to the airport. He wanted to get something done before he left, so he drove to campus after saying goodbye to Mac. Although there wasn't class today, he thought Weevil might be working. Wednesdays were his normal day to work on campus. The campus didn't officially shut down until tomorrow. Dick walked to the maintenance building to see if he could find him.

Weevil looked up in surprise when his name was called out. He was doubly surprised to see Dick. "What's wrong?" Weevil asked, figuring something must be in order for Dick to look him up.

"Nothing, dude. I just wanted to ask you something," Dick said. "I'm going to meet my dad soon to head to Vegas for the break."

"Sounds fun," Weevil said. Dick wasn't his normal chit-chat buddy, but he did know how to have polite conversation.

"So maybe you heard that I'm moving out of the beach house? Gonna move back into my dad's. He's traveling a lot now for work and doesn't want the place to sit empty. Since Ronnie and Logan are going to tie the knot soon, I figured I may as well give them some space," Dick explained. "It's getting a bit crowded there anyway with little dude and Trina."

"Yeah," Weevil said, not sure why Dick was telling him this. He gave the man an expectant look.

Dick started to feel a little awkward but plunged ahead. "So I was thinking that since you gotta move out of Jason's 'cause of Jazmin moving in, you might be looking for a place to live," Dick said with a questioning note.

"Yeah. I haven't had a chance to look yet. She won't be back until next semester, so I have time," Weevil said.

"Wallace is moving in with me until next semester. Then he's gonna move in some place else with the Pisser dude," Dick said.

"And this concerns me why?" Weevil asked.

"I was thinking you may want to move into my place," Dick said. "The place is huge, and I don't want to live there alone. Mac doesn't want to move in with me yet."

Weevil blinked a moment, not sure the man was being serious. "You're serious?" he asked.

"Yep. I know we're not like best buds or anything, but the place is so roomy we wouldn't be tripping over each other. You don't have to pay rent or anything," Dick said.

"I'm not the mansion type, so no thanks," Weevil said. Nor was he a freeloader, but he didn't bother adding that part.

"Yeah, Ronnie said that, but she said you might consider the pool house. It's got its own bathroom and stuff. Like a little apartment. Of course, you could use the house kitchen or pool anytime you wanted," Dick said.

Weevil gave Dick a considering look. "I'll think about it," he told him.

Dick grinned as if it was a done deal. "Cool!" he exclaimed. "Happy turkey day!"

Weevil watched him leave in bemusement. The world might just spin off its axis if he actually took Dick up on his offer.

That evening Weevil was at J & E when Wallace dropped in.

"I was hoping you'd be here," Wallace said. He sat down in the chair across from Weevil's desk.

"Nico is flying to Chicago this evening. I'm about to close up," Weevil said.

"Are you closing for Thanksgiving?" Wallace inquired.

"Yes. We're shutting down until Monday. The machine will pick up any inquiries. If there's something big that comes up, I'll take it," Weevil said.

"Well, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about David using me to lure Jazmin to our room," Wallace said, his disgust with himself apparent.

"Yeah, that's pretty messed up," Weevil said grimacing. "But I don't really blame you. You're not suspicious by nature, so why would you have suspected David?"

"You know Thea knew David wasn't right the moment she met him and saw his attraction to Jazmin," Wallace admitted. "I keep replaying what Thea said over and over in my mind. I laughed at her concern. Now I just feel sick about it."

A part of Weevil was angry that someone had actually warned Wallace about David, but he ignored it. He shook it off, knowing Wallace wasn't at fault. David would have found some way to get to Jazmin if he was really determined. "The entire mess makes me angry. I told Jason something was wrong, and Jason wasn't concerned either," Weevil said in displeasure.

"For the longest time, Jason and Jazmin only had each other. I doubt Jason could fathom Jazmin not coming to him if something was wrong. She always had before," Wallace pointed out.

Weevil grudgingly admitted, "That's true, but I'm still pissed at him."

"If you're not mad at me, you can't really be mad at Jason. I know Jason feels even worse than I do. He broke up with Daisy he feels so guilty," Wallace said.

Weevil knew Wallace was right. However, Jason was the closest friend he'd made since he left his boys. He couldn't help but expect more from Jason. It wasn't easy for Weevil to let someone in the way he had Jason. They'd become like brothers. Never did Weevil think his relationship with Jazmin would cause problems between him and Jason. He sighed. Maybe some distance from both Jalenos would make things better.

*******_Thanksgiving Day*******_

Mac looked around the table having trouble believing this was her life now. She sat at the Sinclairs' huge dining room table. Stephen and Marilyn sat on each end while her parents sat across from Mac with Lauren and Ryan next to them. Mac knew that her moms had purposely sat her next to Madison. They thought it was the way to make peace, but it was mostly keeping Mac from being very hungry.

"This is nice having everyone together," Mac's mom said brightly.

"I agree," Marilyn said happily.

Ryan and Lauren were whispering together. "What are you two so excited about?" Mac asked them.

Ryan looked up and grinned. "We're placing bets on how long before a cat fight breaks out," he said.

"There will be no fighting," Stephen said firmly. "Like it or not, we're family. You two may not be actual sisters, but you share two sets of parents. I know you've had a rocky history, but it needs to change."

"Tell her to call off her attack dogs," Madison sourly.

"I don't have any attack dogs," Mac said, giving her a cross look. "If you want Veronica and Logan to leave you alone, I suggest you apologize and mean it. No one controls those two. Not even me."

Marilyn exchanged a look with her husband. She had a long talk with him recently after Mac had come and talked with her. "Your dad and I agree, Madison. You attacked a pregnant woman who was a guest in our home. The fact that she got the best of you doesn't excuse your rudeness. Whether or not your attack caused her miscarriage can't really be known. I'm sure it didn't help. She was hit by a car not long ago. A body can only take so much abuse. Telling her that her baby was better off dead was a heartless thing to say. It makes me ashamed that the daughter I love and raised as my own child could be so cruel," Marilyn said, surprising both Mac and Madison.

"You're serious?" Madison asked in disbelief. She looked at her father, expecting him to come to her defense.

She was shocked when her father added, "Your mother is right. We've spoiled you too much. This belief that you're innately superior to everyone needs to stop. If you want your credit cards back, I suggest you pass your finals and apologize to Veronica."

"I'll help you study," Mac said, offering an olive branch.

Madison got up, determined to storm out and ruin the dinner.

"Sit down!" her father ordered, raising his voice to her for the first time in her life.

The shock of it brought her back in her seat. Mac and Lauren's mouths both were open in shock and amazement. Ryan, his mother's child, quickly ended the awkwardness by telling a funny story.

Mac sat there a moment without moving, trying to take in what had happened. Finally, she picked up her fork, her appetite had returned. She couldn't wait to tell Dick.

*******_The Mars'*******_

Like last year, Duncan and Lily joined their friends at Keith and Alicia's for a second Thanksgiving dinner in the evening.

Lily was very excited to see Richie. He could finally do a bit more than cry and eat.

"Can I hold him? Can I?" she asked excitedly after everyone had finished eating. Veronica had her sit on the couch and gently placed him in Lily's arms.

Lily grinned at her dad who was sitting on her other side. "Can I keep him, Daddy?" she begged.

"He's not a toy, Lily. He's a real baby. No, you can't keep him. One day when you're much older, you can get married and have your own baby," Duncan said, not knowing how he felt about that thought.

"His mommy would miss him if you kept him," Veronica said.

"Are you sure about that one?" Duncan asked.

"Well, I know she loves him," Veronica said. It bothered her that Trina had left Richie on a holiday, but she did realize he was too young to really notice. There wasn't any real harm done because of her absence.

"Why don't you put him in the bouncy chair?" Alicia suggested. "I picked it up on sale. Darrel and Wallace always loved those."

Duncan smiled as Alicia moved both children to the other side of the room, freeing them up to talk. Logan joined them, eating a plate of leftovers.

"I can't believe you still have room!" Duncan exclaimed.

"You're the one who already ate a turkey dinner earlier. I live for Alicia's turkey dinners!" Logan said smacking his lips.

"He didn't have any dessert. That's why he has room. Alicia made him his own pie to take home," Veronica said, rolling her eyes.

"Peach pie and ice cream! Yum!" Logan said, grinning. "I already bought my favorite brand of French Vanilla to go with it."

Duncan laughed. "It's good to see you guys smiling again," he observed. "There hasn't been much to smile about lately."

"Yeah, I know. Logan had to remind me, though, we do have some things to be grateful for," Veronica said.

"Like what?" Duncan asked.

"Well, we have Richie. Jazmin's going to be okay. I'm okay. And we're getting married very soon," Veronica said.

"True," Duncan said, but he wasn't smiling.

"What's got you so bummed?" Logan asked.

"Did you know Parker invited Piz to join her with her family for Thanksgiving?" Duncan asked.

"That blows," Logan said with sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Duncan," Veronica said. She felt a bit guilty for feeling happy for her ex. Piz was a good guy, and he deserved to be happy. However, she also thought Parker would make a great stepmother to Lily.

"She must be really serious about him," Duncan glumly observed.

"She wouldn't introduce him to her parents if she wasn't," Veronica said.

"I'm in love with her," Duncan admitted.

Veronica reached over and took his hand. "I know. I wish things would work out for you," she said with sympathy.

"It's hard for me to let her go because whenever I'm with her I feel so connected to her. More than I ever have with anyone," he shared.

"Then you shouldn't give up on her," Logan advised.

Veronica frowned. She didn't want to see any of her friends hurt anymore. "I don't know, Duncan. Maybe you should move on. If Parker can't see how great you are, then there's plenty of girls out there who will," she said. "Not to mention if Parker sees you moving on with someone, she might realize she's not so satisfied with Piz."

"Maybe. But I just don't want to play games or date anyone else," Duncan said glumly.

"Well, maybe you should think outside the box," Logan said. "Be patient. Like Jason said the other day about Daisy, if it's meant to be, you'll find your way back to one another."

Veronica loved that he was such a romantic, but she tended to be a bit more realistic. "Sometimes, the early bird gets the worm. Sometimes you gotta work for it," she said, flashing a smile.

Logan chuckled. He did enjoy doing the work-at least when the prize was Veronica.

******_Later at the Beach House*******_

It was bedtime, but Richie was being fussy. He obviously missed his mother. Veronica took him into their bedroom.

"He won't go down. I think he misses Trina," Veronica said glumly. She laid him down on the bed next to Logan and got on the other side, boxing him in.

Logan held out his finger, and Richie grabbed it in his little hand. He smiled and kicked his little legs, obviously not wanting to sleep yet. They gave him the attention he was craving. Then Veronica fed him his bottle. His sleepy eyes grew heavy. Veronica picked him up and laid him on top of her to burp him. He finally fell asleep.

She rubbed his back, not wanting to move him and wake him up. Tears came to her eyes. She cried softly.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Logan asked in concern.

"I can't believe I'll never hold my own son like this," she said, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"They'll be other sons or maybe a daughter. One with your killer eyes and relentless courage," he said lightly, trying to make her smile. He ran a finger down her cheek. "Let me put him to bed." He reached over and grabbed Richie. Then he took him to his bed.

Logan crawled back into bed next to Veronica and pulled her into his arms. "Don't cry, Sugarpuss," he said. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "You know every day is Thanksgiving for me."

She looked up at him. "It is? Why?" she asked.

"Because every day I am thankful for you and the life we are building," he said quietly. Then he kissed her.

Veronica didn't really have the words to tell him how grateful she was for him. Instead, she showed him by loving him with every touch and every kiss.

*******_Chapter End*******_

_SO I am assuming that Lauren and Ryan are pretty much the same age. Is there any strong evidence to dispute that? I've been writing them that way, and I hope it's accurate. Sorry if it's not. Thanks so much for all who keep reading AND reviewing! I love your reviews like a dog loves his doggie bone! :)_


	32. Chapter 32

**I am sorry for the longer than normal hiatus. It shouldn't happen again. This chapter is very LoVe centered, so I know you'll enjoy it!**

Chapter 32: Moving Forward

_******Friday Morning******_

When Veronica woke up the next morning, Logan wasn't in bed with her. She got up searching for him. She smiled when she found him in the living room feeding Richie. He was so good with him. When they were in high school, she never would've dreamed he'd become such an incredible man. Back then she felt she was attracted to him in spite of who he was. Now he was everything she could ever want.

"Good morning," Logan said. "The little guy woke up very hungry."

Veronica leaned down to drop a kiss on his forehead. Then she gave Logan a kiss. "Have you had breakfast?" she asked.

Before he could reply, the doorbell rang. Veronica was speechless when she opened it and saw her mother, Leanne Mars, whom she hadn't seen since the day she stole the $50,000 check from her and her dad.

"Mom?"

"Hey, baby. I'm sorry for not calling, but I was afraid you wouldn't want to see me. I've been dying to come visit since Logan came to see me," Leanne said, giving her an unsure smile.

"Who is it?" Logan called out.

Veronica couldn't find the words to answer him; she was still in shock.

Leanne decided to take a chance and stepped forward and embraced her daughter. She knew her daughter may run her off, but it'd been too long since she'd got to hug her only child.

Logan got up with Richie to see who was at the door. He smiled to see Veronica's mom embracing her.

"Leanne, come in," he called out. Veroncia stepped back and turned to look at Logan. He could tell she was unsure and didn't know how to react.

"I didn't want to come and cause problems on Thanksgiving, but I got off a few days for work. I thought I'd come and see you. Logan said it'd be okay," Leanne said haltingly.

Veronica finally found her voice. "It is. It's good to see you," she said to her mom. She even managed to offer her a small smile.

Leanne noticed the baby. "Who does this sweet boy belong to?" she asked Veronica.

"This is Richie. He's our nephew. Trina, Logan's sister, lives here. She wanted to go to New York for Thanksgiving, so we are watching him," Veronica asked.

It was obvious to Leanne that Veronica adored the baby. "I was so sorry to hear you lost your baby," Leanne said. "Logan called me. How are you doing?"

Veronica shrugged. "It's been pretty awful. We were so excited. It was a boy," Veronica shared.

"Come inside and sit down," Logan said, gesturing. Logan purposely sat on the chair, so that Veronica would be forced to sit down next to her mother.

Leanne reached out and took Veronica's hand. "I had a miscarriage once. It was before I met your father. It was why I never wanted to have more children after you. It was too painful. Your dad wanted more kids so badly, but I thought it was too risky. We had one perfect daughter. Why tempt fate?" Leanne shared.

Veronica was surprised by her mom's words. "Did Dad know this? He never told me," Veronica said.

Leanne shook her head. "No. I never told him. It was never easy to talk about. I was young and in love so completely with the baby's father. My world shattered when I lost the baby. People acted like I should just forget about it because I hadn't been so far along. 'These things happen.' was said so many times to me I wanted to scream," Leanne said.

Veronica's eyes flashed a moment to Logan's. This was exactly how she'd been feeling. Logan gave her a smile of encouragement. "That's how I feel," she admitted. "Richie both helps and hurts me. It makes me sad to know what I've lost. I'm afraid."

"It does get easier. The fear never left me completely, but you're so much stronger than me," Leanne said.

"I'm going to go put Richie to down. I'll be back," Logan said, getting up.

"I just got up. If you don't mind waiting a bit, let me get changed. We'll spend some time catching up," Veronica offered.

Leanne smiled eagerly. "That would be wonderful. Thanks," Leanne said.

"Feel free to go through the sliding door and sit on the balcony. It's a fantastic view," Logan suggested, pointing.

Veronica followed Logan into the baby's room. He put Richie in his crib and gave him his favorite chew toy to gnaw on.

"Did you know she was coming?" Veronica asked.

"No. I extended an open invitation, though," Logan said. "I actually expected her to come sooner."

"I can't believe she's here," Veronica admitted as they walked to her room. She grabbed some clothes and quickly changed.

"Are you okay with her being here?" Logan asked in concern.

"I guess. I mean it's good to see her. It's been so long. I was forgetting what she looked like," Veronica admitted. "She looks good. Much better than the last time she was here."

"Yes, her eyes are clear. She really is sober," Logan said. "I think you should give her a chance."

"I'll try," Veronica said.

Logan gave her a hug. "That's all anyone expects you to do. Talk to her. You need to get some things out in the open if you ever want to move forward," Logan advised.

Logan and Veronica went back into living room. Leanne was still sitting on the couch. "Would you like a tour?" Veronica suggested.

Leanne smiled and got up. They showed her the place and explained about Dick's recent decision to move out due to their wedding coming up.

"Congratulations. Logan told me you were engaged. I was a bit surprised. I figured it'd take him longer to settle down," Leanne said with a smile at Logan.

"What can I say? I know what I want, and we've had to grow up kind of fast," Logan said.

"That's true," Leanne said, looking sad at the thought.

"Trina's room is free, Mom, if you want to stay the weekend. She'll be back on Sunday," Veronica said.

"We hope," Logan added.

"I need to be back Sunday morning, so I can only stay one night," Leanne said.

"Let's go get your bag," Veronica said. They walked out to her car and grabbed her stuff. Then they showed her the room.

"Did you drive all night?" Logan asked Leanne.

"Well, I drove down yesterday. I stayed at a hotel last night. I figured today would be soon enough to stop by," Leanne said.

"I'm glad you did," Veronica said.

"Really?" Leanne asked hopefully.

"Yeah, you shouldn't have stayed gone so long," Veronica said pointedly. Leanne gave her a sad smile.

"So have you had breakfast?" Logan asked, stepping into the awkward moment.

"Just coffee," Leanne said.

"Why don't we go out for breakfast and catch up?" Logan suggested. He knew Veronica would need some time before she felt comfortable being alone with her mother.

Both ladies thought that was a good idea. Leanne was just grateful her daughter didn't slam the door in her face.

"Do you want to come with me while I get Richie ready? Logan takes longer to get ready for his day than I do," Veronica said with a smirk.

"Some of us take pride in our appearance," Logan said pointedly.

"There's pride, then there's narcissism," Veronica said with a snicker.

Leanne laughed at the two of them and followed Veronica into Richie's room.

"You can help me pick out an outfit. I always have trouble making up my mind. He's got the cutest little outfits," Veronica said. She opened up his closet and pointed out the clothes to her mother.

"I always loved dressing you up. When I first brought you home from the hospital, I spent hours and hours putting all your cute outfits on. Your father had to remind me you weren't a doll. But it was so much fun," Leanne said, smiling at the memory.

Veronica felt strange hearing her mother reminisce about her. It brought up mixed emotions in her. However, she wanted to give this a chance, so she just smiled.

The two women found that focusing on Richie made the awkwardness between them less severe. After dressing him in his little sailor outfit with matching hat, Leanne volunteered to play with him while Veronica finished putting herself together.

They spent the day talking and sharing about the events of their lives since her mother left. They avoided talking about the issues between them. It seemed a fragile truce was built between them and neither were willing to rock the boat. Veronica resisted Logan's efforts to leave them alone together.

That night as they got into bed, Logan asked, "So how are you holding up?"

"I'm okay. I am still having trouble believing she's really here, but she does seem so much better," Veronica said.

"Yes, that's what I thought," Logan said.

"Do you think Jake got her pregnant? They were in love in high school. She wasn't even sure dad was my father when she had me, so I don't know if they ever completely broke things off," Veronica said.

"Probably. From what you said, Celeste got pregnant with Lilly before they were married. Jake was a busy little bee," Logan said smirking.

"I guess it doesn't matter," Veronica said, laying her head down on Logan's chest.

"She's going to be going home tomorrow. You needed to really talk before she leaves," Logan said.

Veronica sighed. "Yeah, I know. I will. It was good to just talk today and catch up. It's been too long," Veronica said.

"So I did the right thing going to see her and inviting her to come in for a visit?" Logan asked.

"I never would've, so yeah, I guess," Veronica said.

"That's all the thanks I get?" Logan asked.

"You went behind my back," Veronica reminded him. "I don't reward sneakiness."

"How about rewarding my pure awesomeness?" he suggested.

Veronica looked up at him and laughed. She moved and laid back. "How about you convince me of that awesomeness?" she suggested coyly.

Logan grinned wolfishly and moved over her. "I think I can do that," he said confidently. Then he began kissing her.

******_The Next Day*_*****

When Veronica got up the next morning, she smelled bacon. She went into the kitchen and smiled to see an almost forgotten sight. Her mother was fixing breakfast.

"I hope it's okay. I'm making pancakes. The bacon is already done," Leanne said.

Logan was holding Richie at the table. "I already stole a piece. It's good," he said.

Veronica held her arms out for the baby. Logan passed him off to her. She kissed him and began talking to him.

"Trina called. She said she will definitely be back tomorrow," Logan said.

"That's good," Veronica said.

"It's ready," Leanne said bringing a plate full of pancakes and one full of bacon to the table.

After breakfast, Veronica suggested they go for a walk on the beach while Logan stayed with Richie.

Leanne knew that this was the first time Veronica had been willing to be alone with her and anxiously agreed.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Veronica said, "I want things to be okay between us, but I still feel hurt and abandoned by you. You chose alcohol over me."

Leanne stopped and looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Veronica. I'm not strong. I never have been. When your father turned the investigation into Lilly's death toward the Kanes, we lost everything. And I liked our life."

"So did I. I was the one who lost my best friend. I lost _all_ my friends and spent two years of high school being tormented. I was even drugged and raped at a party and had no mother to turn to. How do you think I felt?" Veronica asked bitterly, her anger rising to the surface.

Leanne's eyes fill with tears at her daughter's words. "God, I'm sorry! I hate myself, Veronica. I left because I was scared for you. The alcohol gave me courage to stay away. Eventually, it became everything to me. I know that just seems like an excuse to you, but until you struggled with an addiction yourself, you can't possibly know the hold it can have on you," Leanne said. "My guilt kept me drinking when the fear was gone. I am so very sorry, Veronica." She started to cry in earnest.

Veronica felt her anger dissipate. Compassion for her mother began to replace it. She reached out and took her hand. "Don't cry, Mom," she said.

"I know it may take you a long time to forgive me for what I did, but I really want a second chance. I promise to do better. I miss you so much," Leanna said earnestly.

"Forgiveness doesn't come easily to me, but I'll try," Veronica said.

Leanne hugged her. "Thank you, Veronica. I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I love you," she said.

Veronica pulled back. "Would you like to come to our wedding on New Year's Eve?" Veronica offered.

Leanne smiled. "I'd love to!" she said happily.

"You gotta clear the air with Dad, though. You stole from him and left twice without a word. He didn't deserve that. He welcomed you back after the first time and you did it to him again. To both of us," Veronica said.

Leanne winced. "How can I ever face him?

"You'll have to find a way. When you left, he was laid up in the hospital with severe injuries. Injuries he received saving my life. We had a terrible time paying the hospital bill. If it wasn't for his book, we would've lost everything," Veronica said.

"I'm going to start paying the money back," Leanne promised.

"Good," Veronica said in relief. Talking to her mother felt cathartic. A weight she'd been carrying so long lifted. She smiled at her mother.

A few hours later, she and Logan said goodbye to Leanne.

"You can come back for Christmas if you'd like," Veronica offered.

"I'd love to," Leanne said. She gave her daughter one last hug and got in the car. She pulled onto the road and looked at the address Logan had given her. One last stop to make before she left town.

Not long after Leanne left, Dick arrived.

"How was Vegas?" Logan asked.

"Good. I won $1000 and Dad only lost $100, so we considered it a success," Dick said with a grin. He reached out to take Richie from Veronica. "I'm going to miss the little guy."

"You don't have to leave, Dick. This is your home," Veronica said for the tenth time.

"Hey, it's been great. Much better living with you than I thought it would be!" Dick told her with a grin. "But it's cool. Dad's stoked that I'm moving back. I talked to Weevil about moving into the pool house."

"He said yes?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Well, he didn't say no," Dick said with a shrug. "He'll come around. Wally's moving in today, so I'm going to start taking some stuff over."

"I'll help," Logan said.

"Cool. We're going to celebrate our new move with a pool party tomorrow afternoon. It's supposed to be in the 80's all weekend. Mackie says it's an Indian summer. Not sure what it has to do with Indians, but I got the pool guy coming over today to give it a cleaning. Mac's going to bring the food. Ronnie, will you call Duncan and everyone?" Dick asked her.

"Yes, I can do that. I'll tell Duncan to bring Lilly, so she can play with Richie," Veronica said.

"We can stop by Alicia's and borrow the bouncy chair since he's too young to throw in the pool," Logan said with a grin.

"It doesn't matter how old he is, you can't throw him in the pool!" Veronica said with disapproval.

"How else will he learn how to swim?" Dick asked with a wink as he lifted Richie above his head, making him smile. He kicked out his legs and waved his arms excitedly.

"Richie will miss you, so you'll have to come by often," Veronica said.

"Will do. You better take little man, so we can start moving some stuff," Dick said, handing him back to Veronica.

"There's some boxes in the garage," Veronica said.

"I'll go grab them," Logan offered.

******_Sunday Afternoon******_

Dick grinned. Mac was wearing a tank top and a pair of boy shorts that he found as sexy as hell. She and Thea had taken over the grille, insisting that girls could grille just as well as boys. Daisy was calling out pointers. Dick walked up behind Mac and kissed the nape of her neck.

"Remember you can burn the outside and have the inside still be raw," Dick said, sharing his experience.

Mac laughed. "I remember," she said. She gave her spatula to Thea and turned around to kiss Dick. "I missed you. It's been awhile since we went a few days without seeing each other."

"Hey, you could've came," Dick reminded her. Then he whispered, "Didn't I make that up to you last night?"

Mac giggled. "I'm not complaining," she said.

Veronica and Logan appeared with Richie. "Look who's finally arrived," Mac said, waving.

Veronica waved back and saw that everyone was already here. Piz and Parker were in the deep end of the pool playing around. Duncan was sitting on the edge of the shallow end while Lily splashed around in her floaties near enough that he could grab her if she got into trouble. Veronica could tell Duncan was brooding as he watched Parker obviously enjoy herself with Piz.

Logan set up the bouncy chair and put Richie in it. Veronica walked over to Mac, Thea, and Daisy. The girls chatted and talked about their Thanksgivings.

"How are you doing?" Veronica asked Daisy.

She shrugged. "I'm okay. It was good to see my family. Did you know Mac and Parker asked me to be their new roommate next semester?" Daisy told her.

"Really? That's great!" Veronica said. She looked over at the pool. Logan had sat on the edge of the pool and was dangling Richie's feet in the water in front of Lily who was laughing in delight.

"It's not easy for Duncan to be around Parker and Piz," Veronica observed.

"Maybe I should take his mind off of things," Daisy said with a saucy grin. She sauntered over to Duncan's other side. She stepped out of her sandals and sat down next to him. "Hey, good-looking," she said.

Lily waved at her. "Hey, Daisy! Come swim with me!" Lily ordered.

"Okay. Let me talk to your daddy first," Daisy said, smiling at her.

"How are you doing?" Duncan asked her. He could tell that she didn't have her normal sparkle. She had on yellow and purple two piece. "You look good."

She preened. "Of course! I always look good," she said proudly.

Duncan tugged on her pony tail. "I've never seen you in a pony tail. It's a cute look for you," Duncan said, smiling at her.

"Well, I don't enjoy getting it wet, but I'll splash around a bit in the pool," Daisy admitted.

"I'm sorry about you and Jason. He's an idiot," Duncan said.

"I know," Daisy said. She looked at Parker and Piz on the other side of the pool. Parker was watching them. Daisy moved closer to Duncan and watched Parker frown. She turned and laughed up at Duncan. "So are you still hung up on Parker?"

Duncan looked at Parker, who quickly looked away from him. "Yea. Not that is does me any good. She's pretty happy with Piz," he said.

"She's not indifferent to you. She was frowning at us a minute ago," Daisy said. She put her hand on Duncan's arm. "Watch." Daisy touched Duncan like she was coming on to him.

Duncan watched Parker who glanced at them, clearly not happy. He grinned at Daisy. "You may be right," he remarked.

"Of course, I am!" Daisy said arrogantly. Then she hopped off the edge of the pool and began to play with Lily.

Parker was watching them with a frown. Piz noticed. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing. Did I tell you that Mac and I are going to have Daisy move in Jazmin's spot at the house?" she said, trying to hide her unhappiness at seeing Duncan with another girl.

"That's good. She's a great girl. A lot of fun. But she's got a wicked temper. Jason was pretty upset when he left for Thanksgiving," Piz said.

"She seems to be handling things okay," Parker said. They watched her and Lily splashing Duncan. Then Dick did a cannon ball into the pool splashing everyone and the battle was on.

Just as the food was done, Weevil arrived.

"Just in time! Chow is ready!" Dick told him.

"Yes, I can see that. Looks like everyone is here," he said, observing. Veronica waved at him. "You're late!" she yelled.

"I'm here, aren't I?" he said.

Wallace gave him a fist bump. "How was your Thanksgiving?" Wallace asked.

"Good. I ate too much," Weevil said.

"Didn't we all?" Wallace said, grinning. "Have you talked to Jazmin? How's she doing?"

"She spent the last few days at home, and she'll be checked into a counseling center tomorrow," Weevil shared.

"How long will she be there?" Wallace asked.

"She's in the nut house?" Dick asked in surprise.

"No! It's a place to help girls that struggle with things," Weevil said sourly.

Wallace jammed his elbow into Dick's side. "Why would you say that Dick? Think before opening your mouth!" Wallace said in annoyance.

"He can't help it. He's got a pea-sized brain!" Weevil said, rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, dude! I didn't mean anything by it," Dick said sheepishly.

"I know," Weevil said. "Jazmin will be there as long as she needs to be, I guess."

"So are you gonna join us, dude? Wally's already moved in. I had the housekeeper clean out the poolhouse. It's all ready if you wanna move in," Dick said.

"My grandmother told me that I'd be an idiot for passing up your offer. I'm trying to save money. If I move in with you, I can put some money aside," Weevil said.

"Awesome!" Dick said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Move in whenever you want. Now or after the holidays."

"Ah, Dick, did you invite Madison Sinclair?" Wallace asked as he watched her come through the gate next to the house.

"Hell, no!" he exclaimed. She walked over to Veronica and Logan.

They walked over to watch the fireworks. Mac went up to her. "What's wrong? Is Lauren okay?" she asked in concern.

"She's fine. I'm the one that is being tormented!" Madison fumed.

"What happened?" Mac asked.

"Lauren and I were at the mall Black Friday shopping. When we came back out, my car was gone!" she shared.

"Someone stole your car?" Mac asked in surprise.

"Yeah, like you don't know!" Madison said bitterly.

"Why would I steal your car? _How_ would I steal your car? I never go to the mall on Black Friday. I hate shopping unless it's for electronics," Mac said.

Madison stomped over to Logan and Veronica. "What did you do with my car?" she asked them.

"What? You lost it? Forget where you parked it? You need quit smoking the weed, Madison. It makes you stupid," Veronica said with a smirk.

Madison took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't get anywhere with them if she lost her temper. "Please, I need my car. My parents will _not_ be getting me another one," Madison said.

"Don't you have insurance?" Logan asked.

"My dad refuses to file a claim. I know you guys are behind it. Please, I want it back!" Madison said.

"Well, she did say please," Veronica said, grinning at Logan.

"Sugarpuss, you know we didn't touch her car. We've had Richie the past few days," Logan reminded her.

"True," Veronica said. "I've never actually jacked a car before."

"Me either," Logan said. "Sorry, Madison. Can't help you."

Madison wanted to scream, but she just glared and turned around to leave. She knew they were behind it but was powerless to do anything about it. She hated feeling this way. Mac tried to talk to her, but she was too mad.

When Madison left, Mac turned to them. "What did you guys do?" she asked.

"We didn't actually do anything," Logan said.

"So her car really was stolen?" Mac asked in surprise.

"I didn't say that," Logan said with a smirk.

"What did you do?" Mac asked in disapproval.

"Let's not fight," Veronica said. "To be honest, I set something in motion weeks ago. I kind of forgot about it."

"Great!" Mac said sourly. Dick put his arm around her. "Don't let Maddie's drama bother you."

Mac pursed her lips but didn't say anything. When was this going to end?

*****_Later in the Evening*****_

When Logan and Veronica returned home from the pool party, Richie was asleep.

"He had too much fun," Logan said, smiling at him in the carrier. He set it down on the coffee table.

"We should let him sleep for an hour but wake him up or he'll be up all night," Veronica said.

The front door opened. Trina stepped in carrying bags. "I'm home!" she yelled.

"Good to see you," Logan said.

"Did you have fun?" Veronica asked.

"Oh, so much fun! They had the best deals on Black Friday! I got Richie the cutest clothes! We went to this hot new club last night! It was a blast!" Trina said enthusiatically.

"You didn't call much," Veronica said with disapproval.

"Ah, did you miss me?" Trina asked with a grin.

"Richie did. He was very fussy the first night you were gone," Veronica said.

Trina grinned. "Ah, that's sweet. I missed him, too!" she said. She bent down in the carrier and picked him up.

"You did?" Veronica said doubtfully.

"Of course, I did! But I knew he was perfectly happy with you and Logan. It's not like I dumped my kid with strangers!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. She smothered him with kisses, waking him up. "How's my sweet boy?"

"We had him at a pool party for the past few hours. He's tuckered out," Logan told her.

"I'll take him bed with me. I'm pretty wiped myself. Thanks for watching him," Trina said.

"No problem. It was our pleasure," Logan said.

She smiled and swept out of the room with her son.

Logan sat down next to Veronica on the couch. He put her arm around her.

"I don't get her, Logan. I really don't," Veronica said warily. She laid her head down on his shoulder.

"She's who she's always been. No one's perfect, Veronica. She's doing a good job with him. It may not be exactly what we'd do all the time, but we asked her to stay here because we wanted to help," Logan said. "You can't judge her for taking our help."

"I know. I just don't understand her," Veronica said. "I'd never want to leave our son for a single day."

"That's because you would be the most incredible and amazing mother on the planet," Logan said, kissing her.

"I never thought I would be," she admitted. "I don't want to be like my mom, Logan."

"You're nothing like her," Logan said.

"I don't want to be afraid to have the family we want," she said.

"There's plenty of time for that. You have grad school still to get through and three more semesters at Hearst," he reminded her.

"True, but I don't think I want to wait until graduate school is over to start a family. I think after we graduate will be a good time," Veronica told him.

"Whatever you want," he told her sincerely. He was just so glad to hear her talking about having children again. He was glad that Leanne's visit had not upset her. Instead, her mother had actually done her some good for a change.

*****_Chapter End*****_

_I know some of you were expecting Leanne to bring drama, but that was never my intentions. I have read too many stories that make her out to be almost as bad as Aaron. I never saw her as that. I just saw her as someone who was weak, but someone Veronica loved deeply. I have many addicts in my family, so I know more than I want to know about dealing with them. I know some are less forgiving than me, but I want Veronica to come full circle in this story. Brining her mom back is part of her journey. I hope you weren't disappointed. I love to read your reviews. Thanks in advance!_


	33. Chapter 33

**Warning: This chapter contains more of Madison Sinclair than you probably will like. However, it was necessary to wrap up a particular storyline! :)**

Chapter 33: Making Amends

*******_Monday Afternoon After Thanksgiving*******_

Mac decided she needed a special sister award or something. She was spending her Monday afternoon trying to help Madison with two of her classes she was struggling with. Naturally, Madison was being difficult.

"I'm never going to learn these dates! I'm hopeless!" Madison said in frustration.

"Don't focus on the dates. Focus on the events," Mac said. Then she had Madison make some flash cards. Eventually, Madison relaxed enough to quit the complaining.

After an hour, Madison looked at her curiously. "Why are you doing this?" she asked Mac.

"Because you need my help, and it makes everyone in our family happy if we get along," Mac said simply.

"I wouldn't be so gracious if the situation was reversed," Madison pointed out.

"Who knows how you would've turned out if our situations had been reverse?" Mac said bluntly. "I think your parents over compensated because you were adopted and spoiled you rotten. This is the first time you've ever had to work at something."

Madison shrugged, not offended for once. "That's true. Your mom seems more fun than mine, though," Madison remarked. "Mine's very uptight."

"My mom is fun," Mac agreed. "However, she's your mom, too. I think it'd be easier if we were less possessive of our parents. I don't like a lot of the girlie things she likes. I hate shopping. She loves it. I rarely enjoy chick flicks. Maybe you can ask her to go with you shopping sometime."

"If I ever get my credit cards back," Madison said sourly.

"You know if you actually apologized to Veronica, I'm pretty sure things would get better for you," Mac said.

Madison made a face. "Do you honestly think my shoving her caused her to lose her baby?" Madison asked.

"No, I don't. However, Veronica is convinced of it. She was really excited about being a mother. Losing the baby devastated her. She's had a lot of pain in her life. Much more than you or I. She has never deserved your cruelty," Mac said firmly.

"You know in grade school I was Lilly Kane's best friend. When she met Veronica, it was like I didn't exist anymore. I never understood it. Veronica was nothing like Lilly, yet they were inseparable. Then when she started dating Duncan, it was even worse," Madison shared.

"I think Lilly saw more in Veronica than Veronica ever saw in herself. She really loved Lilly. Imagine losing your best friend and then every person you thought as your friend not only quit talking to you but most went out of their way to make your life miserable," Mac said. "You can't even deal with Veronica causing you problems now. Imagine if everyone you met was treating you the way she's been treating you lately. That was high school for Veronica after Lilly died."

Madison frowned. She didn't like feeling sympathy for the girl she detested. However, she knew that Veronica had never really done anything to her invoke her anger. Until now.

"I really want my car back," Madison said.

"I can take you over to Veronica's if you want to talk to her. End this feud. Please," Mac begged. She was really sick of all the fighting.

"I don't know. I don't want to listen to her gloating," Madison said doubtfully.

"If you make a sincere effort, I'll make sure this is the end of it," Mac told her.

"Fine," Madison reluctantly agreed. "I need my car."

Mac took Madison over to the beach house. Logan was getting out of his car as she pulled up.

"Hey, Mac!" he said with a wave. Then he saw Madison and frowned. "What's she doing here?"

"She comes in peace," Mac said with a smile. "We need to speak to Veronica."

"Okay," Logan said warily. He went into the house. Mac and Madison followed him in.

Madison looked around curiously. She was surprised to see Veronica on the floor playing with some redheaded baby. "Whose baby?" she asked.

"That's Richie, Trina's baby, their nephew," Mac said.

Veronica frowned up at Madison and Mac. "Why is she in my house?" Veronica asked coldly.

"She's not here to fight. We both want all the fighting to stop. She wants her car back. I assured her that if she made a sincere effort, you would play nice," Mac said pointedly.

Veronica pursed her lips but didn't say anything. She waited expectantly. Logan sat on the couch behind Veronica. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Look, I honestly didn't mean to do anything to make you lose your baby. I was drunk and wasn't thinking," Madison said. "My life's been turned upside down, and I guess I haven't been handling things very well. Having to get used to Mac in my life has been bad enough. Now I seem to see you everywhere. I just snapped seeing you at the party at my house. I'm sorry for being so nasty. And if my actions did cause you to miscarry, well, I don't think an apologize will make up for it, but I apologize." Her words were actually said with sincerity.

"I guess hell really has frozen over," Logan said with a smirk.

Madison ignored him. "Can I get my car back, please?" she asked.

Veronica was surprised by the real humility Madison displayed. She never thought she'd see that day. She turned and looked at Logan with a question in her eyes. They both knew the car was gone. They couldn't take back what was done.

"I appreciate the apology Madison," Veronica said simply. She looked again at Logan.

"I'll see what I can do about the car," Logan said.

Madison nodded. She looked down at the baby. "Cute kid," she said. Then she turned to leave.

"I'll be out in a minute," Mac told her.

"She actually apologized _and _said something nice about Richie," Veronica said in wonder. She flashed Mac an admiring look. "So when did you acquire superpowers?"

"It was no trick. I just assured her that if she was sincere you would be gracious and the fighting would end," Mac said pointedly.

"Ah, you want me to give up my favorite past time?" Veronica said with a pout.

"Unless you want to start looking for a new best friend, it's time to retire the ire," Mac said firmly.

"Fine!" Veronica said with a resigned sigh. She looked at Logan. "Mr. Moneybags will have to work a miracle because Weevil's uncle has crushed and disposed of her car by now."

"What?" Mac asked in disbelief. "You're joking!"

"'Fraid not," Veronica said.

"Don't worry, Mac. I'll take care of it," Logan assured her.

Mac hoped he meant it. She didn't want to explain to Madison what really happened to her car.

The next day Madison's mom came into the kitchen while she was eating breakfast. "Honey, you need to come outside. Someone has left you a gift," her mom said smiling.

Curious, Madison got up and went outside. There was a brand new red Mazda Miata roadster in their drive. A man was standing by it. "Are you Madison Sinclair?" he asked.

Madison nodded. "Then this is for you," he said. He gave her an envelope and a set of keys.

Madison opened the envelope and read. _We honestly couldn't give you back your car. It's a pile of scrap metal by now. However, I hope this replacement car will make up for it. The title is in your name. You should find it in the glove box. Logan and Veronica._

"So what's going on?" her mom asked curiously.

"It's from Logan and Veronica. They said they couldn't make my old car come back, but they hoped I'd take this one as an apology," Madison summarized. "Mac took me over there yesterday, and I apologized." Her mom gave her a pleased smile.

"Does that mean you guys are done fighting? This car is much more expensive than your old one. And it's the newest model," Marilyn said, looking at it with a critical eye. "It was very generous of Logan."

Madison smiled. "It's in my name," she said happily. Finally, something her dad couldn't take away from her when he got angry with her. She opened the door and sat inside. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"Why don't we go down to our insurance company and get a policy for it?" Marilyn offered. "Do you have time?"

"I'll make time," Madison said happily. She decided that she could let bygones be bygones. High school was over. It was time for her to quit dwelling on the past. Maybe she wasn't a Sinclair by birth. But she would look damn good in this car!

******_Hearst******_

Jason followed Daisy out of their class. She'd managed to ignore him during their first class together. He knew she didn't have a class immediately after this one, so he was determined to get her to talk to him. Now that his sister was getting help, he felt much better. However, he missed Daisy like crazy. Being in Chicago for Thanksgiving and knowing Daisy was so angry and hurt by him really upset him. He had to find a way to get through to her, to make her understand and forgive him.

"Daisy!" he called out. "Daisy stop!" She ignored him and kept walking, so he raced ahead of her and blocked her path. "You have to talk to me!"

"No, I don't," she said coldly. "Get out of my way!" She hated that she was forced to see him in class. Next semester, she'd make Mac hack into the school registrar and make sure none of her classes were the same as his.

"Please, Daisy, don't be like this!" he begged. "I love you. I need you in my life. Please talk to me!"

"You don't need me. You just need Jazmin. I'm an afterthought, an unnecessary appendage," she said bitterly.

"That's not true! I didn't want to break up with you! I just wanted to slow things down! You took it too personally!" Jason exclaimed.

"Gee, Jason, I take it personally when the man I love tells me he wants to see less of me!" Daisy said angrily.

"Why can't you understand? I nearly lost my twin sister because I was so focused on you that I didn't see her pain. My dad made me feel even worse than I already felt. It wasn't about you. It was about me trying to deal with what happen. I'm really sorry that I hurt you. Please, forgive me," he said sincerely.

But Daisy couldn't afford to let him back in. She crossed her arms and said, "You slow down _before _you fall in love, you ass! What is it you want from me? Someone to ***k? Is that it? Feeling horny and thought I'd be over it and ready to service you?"

Jason felt deeply hurt by her words and didn't respond. That she'd reduce their relationship down to such a crude place upset him. However, he could see she didn't care. She didn't want to hear him. He gave her a sad look and walked away without replying.

Logan had followed them out of class and heard their angry exchange. He couldn't help but sympathize with Jason. He walked up to Daisy. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

Daisy took a deep breath and nodded. "Yea, I am. Thanks," she replied.

"I don't mean to add to your pain, but I know a thing or two about the paralyzing guilt Jason was feeling," Logan said. "I don't know if anyone has shared with you my turbulent history with Veronica, but in high school, I dated her best friend Lilly Kane. When she was murdered and Veronica's dad started investigating the Kane family, I turned the entire school against her. She was tormented and harassed all the time. She was even drugged and raped at a party. I didn't know she had been drugged. I thought she was drunk and was drinking shots off of her. It's my fault someone thought it was okay to have sex with her when she was unconscious. I have to live with that. I also had to live with the guilt of my father killing Lilly and almost killing Veronica. Hell, even my mom's suicide is something I felt guilty for. I never tried to convince her to leave my dad. He was an abusive bastard, and I just never saw how miserable my mother was."

Daisy was astounded by all Logan's revelations. She knew a bit of what he said, but she had never considered him so active in the things that had happened to Veronica. "That's pretty rough, Logan," she said.

"Yeah, it was. Veronica managed to forgive me because she loves me. It was much harder for me to forgive myself. If there's enough love there, you can find a way to forgive," Logan said.

"I don't think I am made that way," Daisy admitted, a bit sad at the realization.

"Jason has only ever had Jazmin. He's raised very differently than you and me. In his patriarchal family, he is responsible for Jazmin. It's bred in his bones. To almost lose her and to know she was being so abused right under his nose was devastating to him. It doesn't have to be you or Jazmin. She is his family," Logan told her. "That was something I never understood with Veronica and her dad. For me, friends were more important. I never understood why she'd side with her dad against her friends. But I never had the kind of relationship she has with her dad. I've never been loved the way her dad loved her. I get that now. Luckily, she gave me a chance to understand that. You need to realize that loving his sister doesn't mean he loves you any less. He's not the kind of guy that could ever walk away from his sister if she was hurting or needed him."

"He really hurt me, Logan," Daisy said softly.

Logan put his arm around her shoulder. "I know he did. He fumbled the ball. But he loves you. And I don't think he's ever been in love before. You may not be ready to forgive him now, but remember, if he is the one guy you don't want to live without, you will find a way to forgive him," Logan said. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and walked away.

Daisy was holding so tightly to her anger that she wasn't sure she was ready to think about life without Jason. She never saw herself as being one of those girls that had to have a man. She didn't want to be dependent on anyone, especially not a man who could so easily hurt her. However, her feelings for Jason were real. She just didn't know if she loved him enough to forgive him. Maybe that was the real problem. That thought depressed the hell out of her.

Daisy went to the cafeteria to grab some lunch. After she paid, she carried her tray to a table. She was about to sit down when someone called out her name. It was Duncan. He smiled and waved at her. She smiled back and walked over and joined him at his table.

"How's things going?" Duncan asked.

"Okay. It sucks that I have Jason in some of my classes," Daisy said with a grimace.

"Yeah, I don't know how well I'd do if I had Parker in one of my classes," Duncan said sympathetically. "It's bad enough having to see her with Piz at social events."

"Jason cornered me after my last class and apologized again," Daisy admitted.

"Well, that's good. He wants to make things right," Duncan said.

"I just don't think I can forgive him. I hated sharing him with Jazmin from the beginning. I'm kind of a selfish person. I admit it. He knew that. When things started to get serious, he promised me he'd do better and he did. I let myself fall for him," Daisy shared.

"Well, I knew Parker was still in love with Piz, and I was dumb enough to still date her. Sometimes we not always rational when it comes to our attractions for another person," Duncan said ruefully.

"You know Logan overheard our exchange and told me he sympathized with Jason because he knew about paralyzing guilt," Daisy said. She shared with Duncan what Logan told her.

"I can relate. I basically was a zombie on anti-depressants and did nothing while Veronica was tormented. I carried a lot of guilt for a lot of things concerning Veronica that are too sordid to even tell you about ," Duncan admitted. "But I will tell you that when I found out that both Veronica and my parents thought I had killed my sister in a epileptic fit, I never felt so awful. The guilt was more than I could bare. I even tried to run away from it."

"You have epileptic fits?" Daisy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Duncan looked sheepish. "Well, it's not something I talk about. I have the kind that causes black outs. I haven't had one in a long time, though. I found a good doctor that helped me," Duncan said. "Being a father was a good motivator to get myself in hand. My parents' solution had been to overmedicate me."

Daisy nodded. She took a bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. Finally, she said, "I can maybe understand Jason's actions. I'm not completely heartless. But how can I be with someone who I can't count on or doesn't want me to be first in his life?"

"Well, I could never put a woman ahead of my daughter," Duncan said. "I mostly can't stand Jason. That's no secret. But if my sister Lilly was alive or had somehow survived Aaron's attack, I would've spent the last years of high school glued to her side. Nothing else would've mattered."

Daisy sighed. "I'm too selfish, I guess. I want it all," Daisy said.

"And you deserve to have it all," Duncan told her smiling.

Daisy laughed. It was good to have someone understand.

Parker was having lunch with Piz at a nearby table. She couldn't keep her eyes off of Duncan and Daisy. She pretended to listen to Piz's story, but she couldn't focus on him. Duncan was talking intently to Daisy. He was smiling while she was laughing. Piz finally noticed her lack of interest.

"Am I boring you?" he asked with a grin.

She smiled at him. "Of course not," she said.

Piz looked at what held her attention. "Does it bother you to see Duncan with someone else?" he asked patiently.

She sighed and nodded. "I guess it does a little. I mean it's stupid because I'm with you and I'm happy," she admitted. "I guess maybe I liked the idea of him pining for me. How shallow am I?"

Piz reached over and took her hand. "I know you cared about Duncan. I heard from Veronica about how good a guy he is. It stung for a long time seeing her and Logan together," he shared. "But if you really care about someone, you want them to be happy. If Daisy makes Duncan happy, then you should be happy for him."

Parker smiled at him. He really was the sweetest guy. "You're too good for me," she said. "I really do love you."

He grinned. "I love you, too," he said. Then he kissed her.

Parker knew she needed to forget about Duncan. Piz was every thing she needed or wanted. It couldn't matter to her if he was moving on. She had, hadn't she?

******_J & E Investigations, a few days later******_

Nico was getting really tired of the high school drama that had spilled into his work place. He stood in the doorway to his office and looked at Eli and Jason as they kept ignoring one another.

"Okay, that's it. I've had it!" he exclaimed, stepping into the outer office. "You two clowns need to get it together."

"We're fine," Eli said in annoyance.

"Chill out, Nico," Jason added.

"No, I won't. I'm sick of this high school crap!" Nico yelled. "Eli, you need to get over it. Jason loves his sister as much as you. He got enough crap from Sebastian. He doesn't need his best friend making him feel even worse. You are taking your own guilt out on him. Bad things happen. Deal with it and move on!"

"I don't think it's any of your business," Eli said sourly.

"The hell it isn't!" Nico said getting mad. "We are in a business together. You two are partners! More importantly, you are friends. Neither one of you have so many friends that you can afford to throw a good one away!" He glared about both men. "I'm leaving. Tomorrow when I come into work, you two knuckleheads better be in a better place!"

He left the office, slamming the door behind him to make his point.

Jason looked over at Eli. "He'll get over it," Jason said. Eli shrugged and didn't say anything. Jason continued, "He's right, you know. We need to get past this. You know I'm sorry. You know that my sister means the world to me. I should've listened to you."

Eli grimaced. "I don't know that it would've mattered. She had already been raped. Neither one of us could've done much to prevent that," Eli conceded.

Jason brightened at Eli's concession. "Does that me you don't hate me anymore?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't hate you," Eli told him. "I was just disappointed. When I left my crew in high school, I walked away from a lot of guys I thought would always have my back. I thought you and I were tight. That you'd have my back, especially when it came to your own sister's welfare. That you dismissed my concerns really felt like a betrayal, especially when I found out what had been going on."

Jason winced at Eli's confession. "I know I let you down. You're the first real friend I've made since Joseph that I know I could count on no matter what. I didn't have to hide anything from you like so many of my friends back home. I hate that I didn't take you serious and my sister was hurt even more," he said regretfully. "She's always shared everything with me. I really didn't dream she'd keep such a thing from me. I got to live with that."

"She's good at misdirection," Eli admitted. He looked at his phone and saw the time. "I guess we can close up." He got up from his desk.

Jason walked over to him. "So are we friends again?" he asked Eli. He held out his hand.

Eli sighed, tired of holding onto his anger. "I guess. I'm sorry for being such an ass," he said, taking Jason's hand. They turned to walk out of the office. When Jason was locking up, he admitted, "I don't think I'll ever get the sight of your sister unconscious on her bed out of my head. She was so still. She wouldn't wake up. I've never been so afraid in my life."

"The entire experience has been a nightmare," Jason shared. "Did you hear that I went to the Dean about David? They've revoked his scholarship. He won't be back next semester."

"That's not nearly enough punishment for what he did," Eli said bitterly. "I can't believe your dad hasn't killed him already."

"Dad's not a fool. You don't go to Texas and kill a Texan unless you want to die. Their court system doesn't mess around," Jason said. "My dad has a long memory. David will get what's coming to him eventually."

"Your sister practically made me swear a blood oath that I'd not go anywhere near David," Eli shared.

"Yeah, she did the same thing to me," Jason said with a sigh. "Like I could refuse her anything now."

"Have you talked to her? She hasn't called me this week," Eli said.

"They don't want her talking to anyone the first week. They want her to only focus on herself and getting better," Jason said. "I've sent her some emails letting her know what's going on. You should do that. When they give her access to her email again, she'll like knowing we were thinking of her."

"You're such a sensitive guy. I bet your ma is real proud," Eli said with a smirk.

Jason gave him a teasing shove. "Hey, I know my sister!" he said.

"I'm starved. Wanna get some food?" Eli asked.

"Sure," Jason said. He was glad at least one of his broken relationships had been fixed. If only Daisy would be so forgiving.

******_Chapter End******_

_I know this may not be a favorite chapter since it focused more on the secondary characters, but this story is almost over. I need to move along some stories and wrap up others. I appreciate so much those that take time to review! Knowing that you are still reading and enjoying is what keeps me inspired to continue writing this tale! _


	34. Chapter 34

**This chapter presents various wedding thoughts and not much else. Read carefully and think about which you think is the best. I need some help with it. **

Chapter 34: Wedding Plans

******_Friday After Finals******_

"Is everyone coming?" Logan asked Veronica.

"Yes, Mac and Dick are already on their way. Mac said Parker was with them," Veronica replied.

"I can't believe you waited so long to plan your wedding!" Trina said. "That's a little on the insane side, especially when you want the wedding to be in three weeks."

Veronica gave her a sullen look. "We've had a lot going on. Besides, now that school is out of the way, I figured with all of us putting our heads together, we can pull it off. I don't want anything over the top."

The doorbell rang. Wallace and Thea stepped inside without waiting for Veronica to open the door.

"We brought the pizza!" Wallace announced. Logan came up and relieved him off his load.

"Thanks, dude," Logan said.

"Thea is leaving for Chicago tomorrow, so I told her she had to join us," Wallace said.

"I hope it's okay," Thea said, giving Veronica an embarrassed smile.

"Of course, it is! The more heads and hands the better! I have to prove to Trina that it is possible to plan a wedding in three weeks!" Veronica said.

The doorbell rang again. Veronica opened the door. Jason and Weevil stepped inside.

"Glad you made it!" Veronica said, smiling at them.

"Why are we here exactly?" Weevil said.

"Wedding planning," Veronica replied.

Weevil gave her a disgruntled expression. "Want in the hell do I know about wedding planning?" he asked.

"Everybody is going to help so suck it up!" Veronica said. "Pizza's on the kitchen table so go grab some food."

"Fine," Weevil said sourly.

Veronica stopped Jason. "How's Jazmin doing?" she asked.

"Good. She's off of phone restrictions now so you can call her," Jason said.

"She wasn't allowed to use the phone?" Wallace asked.

"Her first week in the center getting treatment they don't allow outside contact. They want her to focus on getting better," Jason explained.

"That makes sense," Veronica said.

"Will she be out in time for Christmas?" Thea asked.

"Yes. Probably in time for our family's annual holiday party," Jason said.

"Bet she's excited about that," Thea said.

Veronica snickered. "Jazmin's family parties aren't exactly like yours," she told Thea.

"She hates our parties mainly because they tend to be full of more business associates of my dad than real friends," Jason explained.

Dick, Mac, Parker, and Daisy came in. Duncan was right behind them.

"How did your finals go?" Duncan asked Parker.

"Good. Glad it's over though," she said to him. "How about yours?"

"They were fine. Don't have much to do these days except study," Duncan said with a shrug. "Soccer practice picks up more next semester since it's a spring sport."

"Yeah, cheerleading takes up a lot of time. I'm not sure I'll do it next year," Parker said.

"Is Piz coming?" Duncan asked.

"No, he had to work," Parker said.

Duncan was happy that for once he wouldn't have to watch her with him.

Jason was surprised when Daisy actually approached him. "When are you moving your sister's stuff into your place?" she asked him.

Jason shrugged. "I don't know. Why?" he asked.

"Well, I have to clear all my stuff out of the dorms since I'm not going to be there next semester," Daisy said.

"You're not?" Jason asked in surprise.

"No. Mac asked me to move in with her and Parker since Jazmin's moving out," Daisy explained.

"Oh. Well, that's good. I'm sure you'll enjoy that," he said, smiling at her. He knew how much she longed for close girlfriends. Befriending Mac and Veronica had meant a lot to her.

"I hope so," she said. "Do you think Jazmn will mind if I move some boxes into her room? I won't touch her stuff. I'll be taking most of the clothes home with me."

"I'm sure she won't. But I'll mention it to her," Jason said.

"How's she doing?" Daisy asked.

"Do you care?" Jason asked bluntly.

Daisy glared at him. "Of course, I do!" she exclaimed.

"There's no of course about it," Jason said somberly. "You haven't exactly been either compassionate or understanding when it comes to my sister."

Veronica was watching Jason and Daisy carefully. Since it didn't look like a happy make-up session was in their future, she stepped up to them, interrupting. "Daisy, when do you head home?" she asked.

"Sunday. But I can come up any time to help you," Daisy said.

"Jason, does Jazmin get day passes?" Veronica asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking me and my bridesmaids can go dress shopping next weekend on Michigan Avenue," Veronica said.

"Oh, that would be fabulous!" Daisy said excitedly. "I have never been to Chicago."

"There's too much to see in a weekend," Jason said.

"Well, we won't really be doing much sightseeing. I thought we could shop, eat some good food, and maybe see a show," Veronica said.

"_Wicked_ is playing," Thea said.

"I hope you'll be able to join us," Veronica said to her.

"Oh, I'd love to see that!" Parker enthused.

Veronica walked over to Duncan and put her arm around his waist and smiled up at him. "So Duncan. You think we could borrow your dad's plane next weekend?" she asked hopefully.

Duncan laughed. "Will I still have to buy you a wedding gift?" he asked her.

"The plane cost your daddy. Not you," Veronica said with a smirk.

"Yes, but I have to suffer through his lectures," Duncan said.

"Please!" Veronica begged. She gave him the head tilt for good measure.

Duncan sighed in defeat. Logan snickered. He'd never heard Duncan said no to Veronica about anything as long as they'd known her. "Fine," Duncan said.

Veronica gave a happy squeal and hugged him. "Thank you!" she said.

"Like Duncan's ever said the word no to you before," Logan said, rolling his eyes.

"Because you say the word to her so much," Duncan replied pointedly. Their friends laughed.

"Everyone go get some pizza and something to drink. Then we'll get started," Veronica ordered.

Her friends dispersed, but Parker stopped Duncan before he could go into the kitchen. "Duncan, you gotta sec?" she asked.

Duncan was surprised but nodded. "What's up?" he asked.

"Are we okay?" she asked nervously.

"I guess," Duncan said with a shrugged. What did she want from him?

"I'd like for us to be friends," she said.

"I'd like to say I'd like that to, but I don't want to be just your friend," Duncan said honestly.

"I've seen you with Daisy, so I thought maybe you were moving on and we could be friends," Parker said.

Duncan couldn't help but wonder if that was true or if Daisy was right and Parker hated to see him with another woman. The thought intrigued him. "Well, Daisy and I are friends. She's going through a tough time right now," Duncan said.

"Oh, okay," Parker said.

Duncan noticed she looked relieved and couldn't help adding, "But if I did move on, Daisy would be a good choice, don't you think?"

Parker's eyes widened in surprise. "I guess," she said, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

Dick came through the kitchen with a plate of food. "Better grab some before it's gone," he said, oblivious to the undercurrents.

Duncan nodded and walked into the kitchen.

Parker sighed. She should be happy for Duncan. Daisy was perfectly nice. However, Parker knew Daisy was in love with Jason, so she didn't think things would end well for Duncan. She wanted him to be happy, but she didn't think Daisy would be the one to make him happy.

She went into the kitchen and saw Jason giving Daisy a sad look while Daisy pretended he wasn't there. It didn't do much to reassure her.

Veronica wasn't oblivious to all the currents going through the room. She decided that her wedding had to take priority over her friends' drama. She'd put it off long enough. "So Weevil, did you and Jason kiss and make up?" she asked pointedly.

"Yes, Weevil, did you and Jason kiss and make up?" Logan repeated with a smirk.

"I tried to get him to kiss me, but he's a bit homophobic," Jason said, grinning.

Weevil gave him a disgusted look. "Yeah, we're cool," he said.

Veronica looked at Duncan and Parker. "Piz will be at the wedding with Parker. Are you okay with that?" Veronica asked.

"Geez, Ronnie! Don't you think that's a bit much?" Duncan asked, cringing at her bluntness.

"Well, it's my wedding. I don't want any fighting or drunken brawls!" Veronica exclaimed. She eyed Daisy and Jason. "I know some of you have hurt feelings toward each other, and I don't mean to make light of it. However, I don't think it's too much to ask for everyone to get along for the next few weeks while we pull everything together."

"Don't worry, Veronica. We'll behave," Daisy said, giving her a knowing grin.

"You better!" Veronica said with a smile.

Twenty minutes later, they all were gathered around the living room. Mac sat next to Veronica with her laptop. Logan was on Veronica's other side. "Okay, so Mac's the maid of honor. She's responsible for planning the bachelorette party," Veronica said.

"'Cause she's such a party animal," Trina said dryly.

"Hey, you can help," Mac said, smiling.

"Trina says she doesn't want to be a bridesmaid because she's already been one for two weddings," Veronica said.

"What does that matter?" Dick asked in confusion.

"Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride," Trina said.

"Huh?" Dick said.

"It's a saying," Logan said. "Old maids worry about those kinds of things!"

Trina was crammed next to him on the couch and elbowed him in the side. "Watch it!" she ordered.

Logan snickered. "You're the one who refused to be in the wedding," Logan pointed out.

"She's in the wedding," Veronica said. "She's going to be carrying the ring bearer. Not to mention help me plan everything."

"Darrel will be glad to know he's finally outgrown the gig," Wallace said.

"Isn't little dude too little to carry the ring pillow?" Dick asked.

"Yes, doofus. That's why I'll be helping," Trina explained, rolling her eyes.

"No need to be catty," Veronica said to her. "Anyway, Wallace, do you think Darrel could handle ushering duties? I was thinking, Jason, you could help with that?"

"Sure," Jason said.

"I was going to ask Piz, but I wasn't sure if that'd be insensitive since he and I dated," Veronica said to Parker.

"I think it'd be insensitive to _me_!" Logan exclaimed.

"Hey, I dated her, too," Duncan reminded him.

"Don't remind me!" Logan said sourly.

Parker laughed. "Piz is fine with whatever. I actually think he'd prefer playing or singing."

Veronica's eyes brightened. "Oh, yeah? I have no idea about what music I want," she said.

"Don't you mean what _we _want?" Logan asked her.

Veronica grinned. "Whatever you say, honey," Veronica said, patting his knee.

"You'll only need one or two really good songs," Mac said. "Do you have a time set for the ceremony?"

"The wedding is for sure going to be New Year's Eve at around eight," Veronica said.

"Then we can party in the new year!" Dick said happily.

"That's the plan," Logan added.

"Tuesdays are kind of lame days to have a party," Trina pointed out.

"We can't help the day New Years falls on," Veronica replied. "That means we can do the bachelor and bachelorette parties the weekend before. No hangovers for the wedding day!"

"Good plan," Mac added. "But won't the time depend on where you decide to have it?"

"Maybe. That's why I need you guys to help me decide," Veronica replied.

"You know Lily's birthday is the day before your wedding," Duncan reminded her.

"So have her birthday party on Saturday in the afternoon," Dick said.

"I think she's got some American Girl doll fantasy thing she wants to do. My mom's on top of it. There's a place in L.A. that does that," Duncan said. "You guys can just stop by and see her on her birthday and bring her a gift."

"What do I know about buying girl stuff?" Dick asked.

"She's a preschooler. I'm sure you can manage," Duncan said dryly.

"We'll go pick something out," Mac said.

"Okay, back to the wedding," Veronica said. "Dick is the best man. Duncan, Wallace, and Weevil are the groomsmen."

"I don't want to wear a tux," Weevil said.

"Double breasted just for you! Maybe a matching hat!" Logan teased.

"The attire will depend on where we decide to have it," Veronica said. "And Weevil, you _will _wear whatever I tell you to wear! Jazmin told me she couldn't wait to see you all dressed up!" She knew that would get his compliance and grinned when he said, "Fine. Whatever."

Logan and Dick both snickered at his unhappiness. Logan decided right then to dress up all the groomsmen to the max!

"Daisy, Parker, and Jazmin are my bridesmaids. Jason is going to talk to Jazmin to make sure she's up for this, but I was thinking next weekend we can go shopping for our dresses in Chicago."

"That'll be so fun!" Parker said excitedly.

"My stepdad is always generous around the holidays," Daisy added with a smile.

"So what are your colors?" Parker asked.

"We can't focus on that until we focus on a location," Mac said. "A beach wedding could require different colors."

"You can get married at my church," Duncan offered.

"It does have a nice stained glass mural," Parker said.

Logan grimaced. "Thanks but no thanks," he said. "I don't see us married in a church."

"Maybe a nice chapel like Dad and Alicia," Veronica said. "We want it simple but classy."

"I think a beach wedding would rock," Logan said.

"Totally," Dick said with a grin.

"We can just get married here. We have a beach out back," Logan suggested.

"I refuse to get married in this cursed town!" Veronica said, shaking her head. "Not to mention that even though I said simple, I still want it to be special."

"If you want a beach wedding in California, there's lots of choices," Trina said.

"Well, there's the Electric Riverboat that goes out of Riverside," Mac said, looking at her computer screen. "They do a four hour cruise with a dinner and stuff. It can accommodate fifty guests easily."

"Wedding on a yacht would totally rock!" Dick enthused. "We can use my dad's yacht."

"This one does all the planning and provides the food and stuff," Mac said.

"I don't mind a boat," Logan said.

"But what if people get boat sick? I'm not sure that's a good idea," Veronica said.

"There's the Wayfarers Chapel. It's in Rancho Palos Verdas," Mac said. "It's an indoor glass chapel, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright with a view of the ocean." Veronica looked over her shoulder.

"That does have a really beautiful view," Veronica said.

"There's some beautiful redwood trees. You would have the comfort of air conditioning with the view of the water," Mac said.

"True," Veronica said.

"What about a hotel and spa package?" Trina said. "Those are nice."

"Riverside has a Mission Inn and Spa that has a beautiful chapel and several outdoor sights," Mac said, reading off the screen. "You could go see it and pick which you'd prefer."

"How about a destination wedding?" Duncan suggested. "Australia's a great place. Then you can do a beach wedding."

Logan's eyes lit up. "Maybe Hawaii? That'd be fun!" Logan said.

"And expensive," Veronica said. "Not everyone has millions of dollars to throw around. I'm not sure my dad could swing a Hawaiian trip. He and Alicia are trying to save up for a bigger house."

"I can fly everyone there," Duncan said. "Or my dad's plane can."

"Your dad may actually need to use his plane," Veronica said.

"My dad has one," Jason offered. "He'd be delighted to help you."

"My dad will totally love partying with your dad," Wallace said, grinning at the thought of the ex-cop with the gangster.

"What about your mom?" Trina reminded her. "Do you think she'd be okay with a destination wedding that forces her in a small amount of space with your dad and stepmom?"

"Good point," Veronica said.

"She did stop and talk to your dad before she left town," Wallace said.

"She did? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Veronica asked.

"I guess your dad figured you knew," Wallace said.

"I told her to clear the air before the wedding, but I didn't realize she did it before she left town," Veronica said.

"Hawaii would be a lot of fun," Mac said.

"We can cover the cost of the wedding party suites," Logan said.

"Dad won't like it," Veronica said with a frown.

"Your dad will like anything that makes you happy," Logan added.

"There's too many choices," Veronica said with a groan.

"Well, we need to decide. We can't plan until we pick a location," Trina said.

"You can go this weekend and visit some of the local places," Mac suggested.

"True," Veronica said.

"Hawaii does offer several island locations that do beautiful weddings," Daisy said. "One of my cousins got married on one of the smaller islands."

Veronica put her head on Logan's shoulder. "I'm never going to decide!" she complained.

*****_To Be Continued******_

_Okay, I need major help with this! I need the perfect wedding song and your thoughts on the best place for their wedding. Do you see a beach wedding? California or Hawaii? A nice chapel? What? Please review or PM me your thoughts! I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks a bunch!_

_Please check out my profile page and vote for a song you like!_


	35. Chapter 35

**Thanks so much for all your ideas! I tried to incorporate them into the chapter even if I ultimately decided not to use them. Some of you had some great points I hadn't considered. I did listen to every song that was sent to me. In case you were wondering, the wedding will be the last chapter in this tale. Almost there! Thanks for reading, reviewing, and alerting! You are the only reason I write.**

Chapter 35: Wedding Plans Part 2

******_Where We Left Off******_

"Why don't you call your dad and just ask him what he thinks?" Thea suggested.

"I love practical people!" Veronica exclaimed, smiling at the idea. "Will you guys excuse us?" She grabbed Logan's hand and dragged him to their bedroom to make the call.

"Hawaii would be loads of fun, but I see that as more of a honeymoon spot," Parker said. "When I get married, I want every single person I love to be there. When you plan a wedding so far away, you'll pretty much guarantee a lot not being able to come."

"That's true," Duncan said. Longing filled him as he looked at her. Then he realized she was probably thinking of her wedding some day with Piz, and he looked away from her.

"Beaching weddings are pretty, but I wouldn't want my bridesmaids all barefooted," Thea said.

"Yeah, walking on heels in the sand would be pretty impossible!" Parker agreed.

"I think a beach wedding would be nice. However, I'd want a place that could have another inside alternative in case the weather didn't cooperate," Mac added.

"Don't forget about the reception. There's gotta be a place for that," Wallace said. "We gotta get our party on!"

"That's why the yacht wedding is perfect!" Dick said.

Mac looked up and laughed. "Dick, you get seasick, remember?" she reminded him with a fond look.

"I won't if I drink enough tequila!" he insisted with a wink.

"You'll be upchucking the entire time," she said knowingly. He gave her a sheepish smile.

Mac and Trina continued to look through various venues while their friends chatted.

"Where would you want to get married?" Duncan asked Daisy.

Jason gave them a sharp look. Duncan seemed pretty casual, so he relaxed slightly.

"There's no way my family would let me get married anywhere but a Catholic church," Daisy said in resignation.

"Mine, too," Jason agreed.

"My parents wouldn't care as long as enough money was spent to show off their only son," Duncan said.

"I think chapel weddings are nice," Wallace said. "They're intimate but almost churchlike without being overly religious."

"True and you can get your minister to perform the ceremony," Thea added.

"I've seen _My Big Fat Greek Wedding,"_ Dick said. "Does the guy have to convert? 'Cause I can't wait to see Wally baptized in a tiny pool!"

Wallace gave Thea an embarrassed, panicked look. Daisy laughed. "He'd be adorable," she said.

Thea reached out and squeezed Wallace's hand. "Don't worry, dear. I'm not planning any wedding," she assured him. When he looked relieved, she couldn't resist adding, "But I can't speak for my grandparents!" When his mouth fell open, she laughed. Then she looked at Dick. "You only have to convert if you wanted to get married in the Greek Orthodox Church. It's the same for a Catholic wedding. If you want to be married in the Catholic Church, both have to be Catholic."

"Like I said, chapels are nice," Wallace said airily, causing his friends to laugh.

Veronica and Logan reappeared. "Okay, I talked Dad. He pointed out that it'd be nice to invite some of his long time supporters like his deputies and some of the firemen. They've been really good to us. If we did a Hawaiian wedding, a lot wouldn't come," Veronica said. "So Logan and I decided Hawaii would make a great destination for our honeymoon."

"Nice!" Wallace said, high-fiving Logan.

"Not to mention, I was looking and there would be no way any Hawaiian venues would be available this late. Winter weddings may be less common, but we can't book one in three weeks. Not unless you want to wait until next New Year's Eve," Mac said.

"No way!" Logan said firmly.

Veronica sat back down next to Mac. "What else have you come up with?" she asked.

"We were thinking Catalina Island," Trina said.

"Oh, we loved the weekend we took there!" Veronica said eagerly.

"However, most of the beach locations require you to rent out the condo-units. We probably won't find any available," Mac said.

"And people would still have to do a bit of traveling," Trina pointed out.

"Hey, Dad's still got a lot of pull in the hotel industry," Dick said. "Some of the big hotels have beach locations, and they have ballrooms to party in. Guests can stay overnight and not have to worry about traveling back home so late. If the weather sucks, it'd be easy to take it inside."

Logan smiled at the suggestion. "Best man steps up to the plate! That's a great idea!" he enthused.

Mac did some looking. "Does he know anyone at the Hyatt Regency?" Mac asked.

Dick shrugged. "I'll go call him," Dick said, pulling out his phone and stepping away.

"Newport Beach is great, and they have the Hyatt Regency that pretty much handles all the details!" Mac said excitedly. "You just have to decide colors, flowers, and food."

"Now that sounds perfect!" Veronica said, looking. "We can drive there and to the Wayfarer Chapel this weekend."

"Getting availability would be the biggest issue," Trina said.

"Well, if we decide on the one we want, and it's not available, we can resort to bribery," Logan suggested.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to spoil someone else's wedding because you have more money to throw around!" she said firmly.

"We can bribe the bride and groom. Maybe offer to pay for their wedding if they select an alternative date," Logan said smugly.

"Fine. It's your money to waste!" she replied.

"I don't consider making our wedding perfect a waste," he told her.

She smiled at him. "Good answer," she said.

"So what about songs?" Parker asked.

"How about 'I've had the time of my life'?" Logan suggested, giving Veronica an adoring look.

She sighed happily. "Well, I do love that song, but our courtship hasn't exactly been without major catastrophes," she reminded him. "How about Enrigue Iglesias's song 'Hero' 'cause you have definitely been mine."

Weevil snickered. Veronica glared at him. "That song is perfect!" she insisted.

Weevil held up his hands and didn't comment. When he got married, he didn't care about the details. His bride can do whatever she wants. He couldn't help but hope that he and Jazmin got to that place someday.

"It is sweet," Daisy agreed with a romantic sigh. "I love his voice. However, it's also a great first dance song."

"Good point," Mac agreed. "'I can't help falling in love with you' is also beautiful."

"Elvis is king," Logan said. "I do like that one."

"What about Michael Buble's 'Sway'?" Veronica suggested.

"You like that song. I don't," Logan said, shaking his head.

"Meatloaf's "I will do anything for love'?" Trina suggested.

"That is true. I will," Logan said, kissing Veronica on the cheek.

"Fisher's song 'I will love you' is beautiful," Thea said.

"Piz has a song by the Fight Dragons that he sings really well, 'With You'. It's a beautiful love song," Parker said.

"Have him bring his guitar by and sing it to us," Veronica said.

"I don't want Piz singing a love song to me!" Logan protested.

"You'll love this song. I promise," Parker said. "It's not gushy like some of the love songs."

"Well, whatever you don't play during the actual ceremony you can play at the party afterward. Slow dance to it," Trina said.

"We need to find you a hot date!" Dick said with a leer.

"I think I have one," Trina said, looking pleased.

"Really?" Veronica asked with interest. "Who?"

"This guy I reconnected with back in New York," Trina said.

"Trina, all your exes are losers!" Logan said in annoyance.

"Not this one. This guy was not an actor or aspiring director. He's an investment banker. He has a job on Wallstreet," Trina said with a smug smile.

"Seriously?" Logan asked in surprise.

"We went out that one semester I went to NYU," Trina said.

"Wow!" Veronica said, impressed. Then she got worried. "Please, don't decide to move to New York and take Richie!"

"You can move. Just leave little dude," Dick added with a grin.

"Hey, I said a date. Not a serious relationship," Trina clarified. "Winters in New York City are brutal. He may actually enjoy coming to a warm place for New Year's Eve."

"We'll totally find you a slutty dress to wear," Daisy said.

"Jason, will you let me know what Jazmin says? I'd love to have her join us next Saturday for as long as she can," Veronica told him.

"Sure. I'll call her now," Jason said. He stepped away to make the call.

"Did you get a hold of your dad?" Veronica asked Dick.

"Yes. He said he would check and get back to me," Dick said.

"Send him a text and about the Hyatt Regency in Newport," Trina ordered. Dick nodded and pulled out his phone.

"How many people do you see coming?" Trina asked.

"I have just a few people that were friends with my mom I'd like to invite," Logan said.

"We have to invite some parents of our friends," Veronica said. "I want to invite Jason and Jazmin's grandparents. His grandmother was so good to us last summer."

"Too bad we can't get her to cater!" Mac said with a grin.

"You'll have to invite their parents, too," Logan pointed out.

"And Nico," Weevil added.

"And your grandmother and Wallace's dad," Veronica added. She looked at Duncan and sighed. "I guess we have to invite your parents, too, huh?"

"Well, my mom already hates you, so you don't have to invite her," Duncan said with a grin.

"She doesn't hate _me_!" Logan reminded her with a smug smile.

"That's something to brag about," Veronica said sarcastically.

"You don't know my parents, so you don't have to invite them!" Parker added, smiling.

"Or mine," Daisy reminded her.

"We'll invite Chip," Veronica said. Then she gave Dick a warning look. "You can_not_ invite all your frat brothers to my wedding. I mean it, Dick. I will kill you if you turn my wedding reception into a kegger!"

"Hey, some of those guys have had Logan's back a time or two!" Dick reminded her.

"And you can invite them all to your wedding some day or throw a back to school party the Saturday before the new semester starts," Veronica suggested.

Dick's eyes brightened at the suggestion. "Hey, I haven't thrown a party at my dad's in years!" he exclaimed, liking the idea.

"Focus, Dick," Logan said before Veronica could start yelling at him. The wedding planning was starting to stress her out. "We should get a guest list from your dad. See if he can get it to us by Monday."

"With addresses," Trina added. "We can pick out the invitation style and mail them off by Wednesday."

Veronica groaned. "Addressing envelopes? Not my favorite chore," Veronica said. She did that a lot when she worked for her dad.

"Hey, I know a few of my sorority sisters that love doing that kind of thing," Thea said. "I'll get some hands for you."

"Will they still be in town?" Veronica asked.

"Our sorority house doesn't empty out as quickly as the dorms," Thea said.

"That'll be great!" Trina said. "I don't particularly like addressing envelopes either."

"Thanks, Thea!" Veronica told her, pleased. She looked at her stepbrother and said, "You better hold on to this one!"

Wallace gave Thea a sheepish smile and put his arms around her shoulder. "That's my plan!" he said.

"We can just use the computer and print up labels," Mac suggested.

"Now that's a good thought! I'm all for anything that makes a detail easy!" Veronica said.

"My sisters tell me handwritten invitations are more meaningful," Thea said with a smile.

Veronica rolled her eyes. She was so glad she never pledged. "If we can get helpers, fine. If not, we'll do the labels!" she said with a grin.

"So are we done?" Weevil asked, bored.

"Is my wedding boring you?" Veronica asked him with icy sweetness.

"Your wedding _planning _is boring me," Weevil clarified. "I'm willing to do anything you need to help. You know that. But I'm sure whatever you decide will be fine."

"He's got a point," Dick said.

"You are best man. You will listen to every boring detail!" Veronica informed him with a grin.

"Well, we got a good start. We need to check out the venues and compile the guests list. We have several songs to choose from," Trina said. She'd been writing down the various suggestions.

"I really appreciate you guys coming to help plan. Once we pick the spot for the wedding, we'll let you all know," Veronica said.

Jason reappeared. "Jazmin said she'd love to see you and go dress shopping. She said next Saturday would work, but our dad will expect you to come to the Christmas party that night," Jason said with a smirk.

"That's fine," Veronica said. She looked at Thea. "When are you going home to Chicago?"

"Thursday. So I'll have time to make those arrangements to help you with the invitations," Thea said.

"Can you join us shopping Saturday?" Veronica asked.

"I can join you for the shopping, but I can't join you for the party," Thea said.

"It's not fair. They get to see you next weekend, and I don't," Wallace complained.

"We can Skype," Thea offered, smiling.

"Absences makes the heart grow fonder," Dick told him.

"I don't recall you thinking that when Mac spent a month in Italy," Wallace reminded him.

"That's the great thing about getting married. From now on, we'll take all of our trips together!" Logan told Veronica.

"Now we just have to pick which island we want to go to on our honeymoon!" Veronica said excitedly.

"I've already got the choices bookmarked!" Mac informed her with grin.

"So anyone up for a movie? It's not too late," Duncan suggested.

Daisy gave Parker a calculating look and said, "I am. How about it, Parker?"

Parker's mind went blank, and she couldn't think of a single reason to refuse. "Well, I.."

"A movie would be fun," Thea said smoothly, catching on to Daisy's plan. She knew Parker needed some help.

Parker gave her a grateful smile. "You and Wallace can come?"

"Sure," Wallace said. "As long as I get extra butter on the popcorn."

"I'll text Piz and see if he can meet us," Parker said, hoping desperately he'd be able to.

"Thanks for coming by," Veronica said. "Don't forget to talk to Piz about the song," she told Parker.

"I will," Parker said.

Weevil watched Jason stare glumly at Daisy. "Did you want to go?" he asked him.

Jason shook his head. "Why torment myself? She'll just flirt outrageously with Duncan," he said knowingly.

"That's probably true," Weevil said, grinning.

When everyone left but Dick and Mac, Veronica turned to Logan and asked, "Logan, have you thought about inviting your brother Charlie?"

"Dude, I totally forgot you had a brother!" Dick exclaimed.

"I don't. Not really," Logan said, frowning.

"Maybe this would be a good opportunity for you to reach out to him again," Veronica suggested. "A wedding is a good excuse. No pressure."

"I don't know. He was pretty mad about the publicity. I was dumb enough to get fooled by that reporter," Logan said in disgust.

"I cleared the air with my mom," Veronica reminded him. "Now it's your turn."

"I think inviting him in person would be better," Mac said. She looked at Trina. "You should go with him."

"Why would I do that?" Trina asked. "I'm adopted."

"Yes, but you're an Echolls. Your dad adopted you. That would be his dad, too," Mac pointed out.

Logan latched on to that. "Yes, Trina. He's your brother, too!" Logan said with a smirk.

"Fine. Whatever. I can be nice," Trina said, "especially if you give me your American Express card for our shopping spree in Chicago!"

"Don't you have your own?" Logan asked.

"Yes, but I don't have to pay your bill," she said smugly.

"Mac, will you look up the best places to shop for bridesmaids dresses and wedding dresses in Chicago, so we can save time? We need a game plan since we will only be there a short time," Veronica advised.

"No problem," Mac said, typing the keys on your laptop.

"Where's little dude?" Dick asked Trina.

"Mary's watching him. I need to go get him here in a bit," Trina said, checking the time.

"Can I go? I want to see the little guy," Dick offered.

"Sure. You can drive," Trina said, getting up.

After they left, Mac continued doing her thing on the computer. Veronica put her head on Logan's shoulder and her arm around his stomach. "I can't believe we're really going to pull this off!" she said with a happy sigh.

"Now you can't escape without lots of legal maneuvering!" he said with smug satisfaction.

Veronica smiled. "Do you think you might want to ask Charlie to the wedding? If you don't want him there, then don't," she said.

Logan shrugged. "I don't know. It'd be nice to have more family there. I'll think about it," he said. He had Dick and Duncan. He didn't feel a real loss not knowing his brother. However, he knew from watching Mac with Lauren that there were some things that were in the blood. It might be nice to find out what part of him was genetics and what part was how he was raised. Then again, Logan wasn't sure he wanted to be rejected again by his big brother.

_******Chapter End******_

_So I took some of your suggestions and created a poll. Would you go to my profile and vote for the song you think is BEST for their wedding? You can listen to them on youtube for free. Thanks so much for your help!_


	36. Chapter 36

**I know this story was pretty dark and angst-filled for the most part. I hope you are enjoying these lighter chapters. There will be four more chapters before this story is over. Thanks for all our feedback and help with the wedding planning. If you haven't voted yet for a song choice, please check out my profile page and vote! I will definitely use the top song. Maybe the top two.**

Chapter 36: Taking Control

******_The Next Day******_

Logan, Dick, Duncan, and Wallace met the next morning to go surfing. Wallace had gone a few times with Dick since that first lesson two summers earlier. Logan didn't surf as much as Dick since he and Veronica moved in together. Dick insisted he liked his cuddle time a bit too much. Logan didn't argue. It was true.

"So I'm surprised Ronnie allowed you to come and play with us with all this wedding planning madness she's got goin' on," Dick said as they carried their boards to the water.

"She doesn't control my every move, Dick," Logan said, giving Dick a good-natured shove.

"Really? She doesn't?" Duncan asked with a grin.

"Jealousy is unattractive, DK!" Logan said with a smug look.

"It's her wedding, man. She's got a right to be more intense than normal," Wallace said loyally. "It's not like she's laid back on a good day anyway!"

The guys laughed. "I can't figure out why you guys put off the wedding planning to the last minute," Duncan said.

"We just got engaged in October, dude. I didn't want to wait to get married. We agreed on New Year's Eve and pretty much told everyone, so we didn't think it was a big deal," Logan said with a shrug. "We wanted something simple and low key, so we knew it wouldn't be too hard to pull off."

"Are you going today to check out those locations?" Wallace asked.

"Yes, we're going after lunch to one and then the other tomorrow," Logan said. He stopped at the water's edge and shoved his board into the sand. His friends followed suit.

"So are you going to call your brother and invite him?" Dick asked.

Duncan and Wallace looked surprised at the suggestion since they hadn't heard the conversation about Charlie last night.

"I was thinking about it," Logan admitted.

"Dude, how do I not know you have a brother?" Duncan asked, dumbfounded.

"Oh, yeah. You were out of the country when that particular scandal broke," Logan said. He filled Duncan in on the highlights.

"Wow! A secret lovechild! You're life really is a movie of the week," Duncan said in bemusement.

"More like a soap opera," Wallace said with a snicker.

"Says the guy who found out his dad wasn't his dad," Logan said pointedly.

"He's got you there, dude!" Dick said, slapping Wallace on the back.

"Hey, that's the only scandal in my life," Wallace said.

"Really? Are you sure about that?" Logan said with a knowing grin.

Wallace looked uncomfortable. Veronica had become much more open with Logan since they'd begun living together. He loved that she was happy, but he forgot that when a couple became a unit and not just two separate individuals, secrets became a thing of the past. "Remember, you're marrying my sister. That makes us family, so don't start blabbing now or I'll make sure you sleep in the couch for a week!" Wallace threatened.

Logan laughed. "Don't worry. Your secrets are safe with me," he assured Wallace.

"Secrets? Dude, why don't I know all your secrets?" Dick asked, looking hurt.

Wallace sighed. "I'll tell you sometime. Not really that interesting," Wallace said.

"Can we stay on topic?" Duncan said. "Are you going to talk to your brother?"

"Do you think I should?" Logan asked his friends.

"Dude, if I found out I had a long lost brother, I'd be over the moon!" Dick said. "I love you guys, but I'd love a chance to do right by a brother since I screwed up so badly with Beav."

"I wouldn't mind it either. It'd take some of the pressure off of me," Duncan agreed.

"Well, I don't have any family pressure," Logan said dryly. "This Charlie guy is just a normal guy. A teacher. I got screwed over by the reporter and threw him to the wolves. He wasn't use to the limelight like I have been. I called and apologized on his voicemail. He never called me back."

"A lot of time's passed. He may feel differently," Wallace said.

"He didn't seem to when I was shot and almost died. It was all over the news," Logan reminded them.

"Maybe he didn't want to be one of those guys who show up as the rich relative was dying," Wallace said thoughtfully.

"Maybe," Logan said doubtfully.

"Well, you should call him at least and see if he wants to talk," Duncan advised. "If he hangs up on you, you'll know he's a lost cause."

"True," Logan said. "I guess that wouldn't hurt."

"Let's surf," Dick said.

The guys grabbed their boards and hit the water.

*****_Chicago******_

Jazmin looked out the window of her room at the clinic she was in. She didn't know why she was anxious. Her brother wasn't in town yet, so she knew he wasn't going to visit her today. But today was the first day she was allowed visitors since she'd been admitted two weeks ago. She knew her parents would probably be by. Although she wanted to see them, she was dreading the looks on their faces. The kid gloves, the anxious fear in their eyes. Her dad tried to hide it, but she knew him too well. Her grandparents would be even worse. Her grandmother cried every time she saw Jazmin and held up her rosary to start praying for her.

The phone in her room rang. She grabbed it. It'd been too long since she'd talked to anyone but her brother. "Hello," she said.

"Hey, Princess," Eli said.

She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. God, how she missed him. "I'm so glad you called," she said softly.

"Your brother told me last night you could get calls now. He gave me the number. It was kind of late when we got home, so I waited to call. I didn't know the times I could call," he said.

"Basically between nine and nine," Jazmin said. "If the phone rings in my room and I don't answer, it means I'm not in the room. There's no voicemail. You'll just have to call back."

"Good to know," Eli said.

"So Jason tells me the wedding planning is in full swing now," Jazmin said, smiling as she pictured it in her mind.

"V's gotten a little bit crazed, I think. I'm hoping they end up choosing the Hyatt Regency 'cause they do most of the work for weddings in their place. It'll make all of our lives easier," Eli said.

Jazmin chuckled. "When I get married, it will take six months of planning at least," she said. "I won't be waiting to plan it the month of the wedding."

"Oh, yeah? Have you picked out a groom yet?" Eli asked, partly teasing, partly wanting to check they were still solid.

"Yeah, I have a guy in mind," she said, a smile in her voice.

"He'll be the luckiest guy on the planet," Eli said sincerely.

"I miss you," Jazmin told him, aching to be held by him.

"Yeah, I miss you, too," Eli said, his voice gruff.

"Are you going to come in with the girls next weekend?" she asked hopefully.

"No. I was hoping to come in for Christmas if that's okay. I can't afford to come in twice," Eli said.

"Christmas? Really? That'd be so great!" she said happily.

"Your brother told us the annual holiday party is next weekend. I'm glad you'll have V there to back you up," Eli said. "If that loser ex of yours bothers you, let V handle him."

"I can handle him, remember?" she reminded him.

He chuckled. "I do. Remember that when you're feeling weak. I don't want you to feel like a victim," Eli said.

"I was a victim," she reminded him. "I won't be again, though."

Eli was surprised but pleased at the determination in her voice. She sounded much stronger.

"No, you won't," he agreed. "So what exactly are you doing there?"

"We do a lot of talking. Group therapy. One on one counseling. Next week I'm joining a rape support group that's at another location," Jazmin shared.

"So do you feel better?" he asked.

"I do. I still feel sick with guilt for taking all those pills and for lying to you, but I know I have to get passed it. I'm working on forgiving myself," Jazmin said.

"You need to because I forgive you," Eli assured her.

"That means a lot to me," she told him earnestly. And it did. He'll never get how much his support and love meant to her. She wasn't sure how well she'd be doing without it. "I love you."

"I love you, too. That's never going to change," he said firmly. He couldn't imagine any scenario that would make him not love her. Even if he hated her and they one day parted ways (which was a fear of his), he knew that some part of him will continue to love her.

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," he said. "I hope you'll do everything you can to get better and stronger so you can come back to Neptune."

"I will," she promised. She meant it. Getting back to normalcy was a goal of hers. They had her write down her goals the first day. They had her write down daily goals and then long term ones. Her first goal had been to be able to sleep through the night. It had taken her a full week there to reach that one. Her second goal had been to go a day without crying. So far she hadn't quite made that one. The counseling sessions were too emotional. However, she knew that next Saturday when her friends came to town she'd finally have that goal reached. She couldn't wait.

******_Later that Night at the Beach House******_

Veronica and Logan were preparing for bed and discussing the pros and cons of the Wayfarer Chapel.

"It was so stunning. You can do the beach or the chapel service," Veronica said.

"Yes, but it doesn't have a place for a reception. I was kind of hoping we could have the wedding and then dance 'til midnight at the same location," Logan said, giving her a wolfish grin.

"True," she acknowledged. "But they will for sure have the time and space for us," she pointed out.

"And they do all the decorating and stuff. So that's good. Less work for you," he acknowledged.

"Well, that's not a plus," she said with a frown. "I kind of liked the idea of picking out flowers with Trina."

"Really?" he asked in surprise.

"Maybe my mom could drive down and help with that. She always liked flowers," Veronica said, remembering.

"I'm sure she'd love that," Logan said. "Why don't you call and ask her? Maybe she can go with you to a dress shop? You may find the perfect dress right here."

"That's true. I could," Veronica agreed. "Even if we didn't find the dress, I know she'd enjoy looking with me and watching me try on some."

"You should call her. Maybe drive down to L.A. and hit Rodeo drive," he encouraged.

"Are you going to call Charlie?" she asked as she crawled into bed next to him.

He put his arm around her. "Yes, I think I will. Duncan pointed out that if he hung up on me, I'd have my answer. I could at least do that," Logan said.

"Good," she said, snuggling up next to him. "I can't wait to meet him."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Logan said cautiously.

"I'm sure he's just as curious about you as you are him," she said.

"Doubtful. There's been too many tabloids and news pieces about me and my life," he said glumly.

"Hopefully, the guy's too smart to believe everything he reads," Veronica said. "And since he's your brother, I know he's gotta be pretty smart."

Logan loved that she always managed to make him feel better about everything. She may not be a romantic like he was. She always saw the grays, yet she still managed to make him feel like he could do anything. Her love made him feel like anything was possible. "I guess we'll find out. I'll call him tomorrow," he said. He'd be disappointed if his brother hung up on him. However, he wouldn't be crushed. He had everything he could possibly want in his life now. He leaned over to kiss his bride to be.

*****_Sunday******_

Logan couldn't remember the last time he'd been so nervous. He looked at his cell phone again for the tenth time that day. He had decided to call his half brother. However, he found it easier to say than do. He'd always wanted the connection that Veronica had with her dad. Now he felt that to some degree he had it with his sister. But there was a part of him that still longed for a big brother. It was a little boy dream that never quite left him. Growing up he had thought maybe if he'd had a big brother his dad wouldn't have only had him to beat on. Of course, in his mind the big brother would be larger than life and so fiercely protective not even Aaron would hurt him.

Taking a deep breath he dialed the number on his phone he never could bring himself to erase from his contact list. He hoped it was still a good number.

"Hello," a male voice said.

"Uh, is this Charlie Stone?" he asked.

"I hope so since you're calling his cell phone," the guy said with a laugh in his voice.

Logan liked him immediately for the small joke that relaxed him a bit. "This is Logan. Logan Echolls," he said.

There was silence so long that Logan thought the line had gone dead. He was about to pull the phone away from his ear and check when his brother replied, "This is a surprise."

"Yeah, well, you never returned my call after that mess I created for you, so I thought you wouldn't want to hear from me," Logan said cautiously.

"I didn't. Not then. I am just a teacher. I almost lost my job over all the sudden attention at my school," Charlie told him.

"I'm really sorry about that. I had a reporter pretend to be you, and I revealed too much to him thinking he was my newly found brother. I was pretty mad when I found out the stuff I said ended up in the papers," Logan said.

"Yeah, I read it online," Charlie said, a touch of sympathy in his voice.

Logan decided his reply was a good sign and ventured further. "Do you think we can meet up for coffee? Are your classes done for the semester?" he asked.

"High school doesn't finish as early as college. This Friday is my last day before break," Charlie replied.

"Do you think we can meet Saturday or Sunday?" Logan asked hopefully.

There was a slight pause before he answered. "Okay," he said.

They agreed on a meeting time and place before the call was over. Logan disconnected feeling very good about the conversation. This time he wouldn't screw it up.

*******_Chicago*******_

Jazmin was drinking coffee in the center's community rec room when a voice said, "Hello, Jazmin."

She looked up and saw Joseph, the last person she'd ever think would visit her. "What are you doing here?" she asked warily.

He sat down next to her on the sofa. "My mom heard from your mom about what happened to you. I had to see you to make sure you're okay," Joseph said, giving her a once over. She looked okay. He wasn't sure what he expected after the horrible tale he'd heard.

"I cannot believe your brother and that guy you're dating didn't protect you better," he said angrily.

"It's not always possible to be with others 24/7," she said tiredly. She didn't have it in her to fight with Joseph.

Joseph was taken aback by her lack of fight. Ever since they'd broken up, she'd always come back at him like a tigress. When he looked at her now, he didn't see any evidence of the tigress he so admired. She'd never before let him criticize her brother or boyfriends.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Jazmin was surprised by the real sympathy and concern she'd saw in his face. It'd been too many years since she'd really seen that in him. She was unable to shut him out. "I'm okay. I feel better now," she assured him.

"Is this guy who did it behind bars or dead yet?" he asked, his voice filled with rage.

"I don't think so. He's in Texas. I think his scholarship got revoked for next semester, so I'm not sure he'll be back, but it's not your concern, Joseph. _I'm_ not your concern. I haven't been for a long time," she reminded him.

"Jazzie, you know that you and your brother are the only two people that ever mattered to me in my entire life. You may never forgive me for what I did to you, and I gotta live with that. But please let me do something, _anything_ to help you," Joseph offered.

Jazmin looked at him closely and knew in that moment that she could get him to do what she didn't want her family or Eli to do. He'd kill David and not lose any sleep over it. However, she thought he could do something else she wanted; something she needed if she ever wanted to feel safe again. "There is something you could do to help me," she said carefully.

"Really? Anything. I will go to Texas and kill this guy for you. They'll never find his body. I swear it!" Joseph vowed.

"Actually, I need something else from you. You must promise me you won't tell anyone, especially my family what I'm asking you for," Jazmin said.

"I won't. I promise," he vowed.

"I'm not sure how much I believe your promise, but I guess I have no choice but to trust you," she said in resignation.

"What do you need? Name it!" he ordered.

"I need you to get me a gun. Something small and easy for me to use," she said. She would never be a victim again. Nor would she let anyone else fight her battles for her. She was tired of being weak. She was tired of being made to feel helpless. No more. Never again would anyone hurt her.

******_Chapter End******_

_I hope you didnt mind me bringing Jazmin back into the story. She has been a central figure and her story isn't completely done yet. I love so much your reviews and appreciate them all! Thanks!_


	37. Chapter 37

**I wanted to directly thank Ali-Cat who never logs in so I can't email her. Thanks for catching my writing errors! I did correct. Also, I live in Oklahoma where open carry laws for guns are common. When I lived in Chicago, all gun ownership was forbidden, yet it was still the murder capital of the country. People who want to harm others find a way to get guns. In the South, gun ownership is as sacred as your right to worship freely. Often people who are victims of violence buy their first guns afterward. I'm not a gun owner, but I spent a lot of times around them growing up. Some go to extremes to feel safe. I had an uncle once beat senseless in a home invasion (In Wyoming, a state with low crime and population) and went out and bought a gun afterward, vowing to never being a victim again. Fortunately, he never had to use it. He was ex-military, so he did know how to safely use it and lived alone.**

**Remember, in this story, Jazmin wasn't just raped, but weeks later violently beat by the rapists in her own home. I'm not planning on her doing anything crazy like become a vigilante. The gun is only about her desire to feel stronger and safer. It's about her taking control and not being passive any longer.**

Chapter 37: Reconnecting

_******Tuesday******_

Veronica and Logan drove down to Los Angeles early Tuesday. Logan was going to do some business in Faces' L.A. offices and meet up with the Goldsmiths, the original founders of the company. Veronica was meeting her mom for lunch before dress shopping.

Logan gave Veronica a tour of the L.A. office and introduced her to everyone they met as his fiancee. Veronica smiled fondly at him as he showed her off. When they finally got to the Goldsmiths, the news had gotten around the office that he was there. Harry came out of his office to greet Logan and Veronica.

"Logan, glad you could make it!" Harry Goldsmith said, shaking Logan's hand. "Sally told me you were coming. I have some new thoughts I wanted to run by you, so I'm glad you made it."

"Harry, you remember Veronica," Logan said gesturing to the woman at his side.

"Of course! How could I forget such a lovely lady?" he said, flashing Veronica a warm smile.

"It's good to see you again," Veronica said. His wife, Sally, came in and greeted them.

"Are you ready for your big day?" Sally asked her.

"Not even close. We do have the date and place nailed down. Invitations will be mailed tomorrow. We hope you can make it. It'll be at the Hyatt Regency in Newport New Year's Eve at eight," Veronica said.

"That should be quite lovely. The Hyatt always does things well," Sally said.

"I hope so. We visited it on Sunday and another nice chapel on Saturday, but I really wanted a place that had everything at one location," Logan said.

"Harry and I would love to be there," Sally said, pleased at the invitation.

"Today, I am meeting my mother to look for wedding dresses. I'm hoping to find something I like in my size since I've waited so long to start looking," Veronica said. "We're going to Rodeo Drive."

"With enough money anything is possible! However, you'll probably have better luck in Beverly Hills," Sally advised.

"Really?" Veronica asked.

"Canon Drive has two that I know off the top of my head and Maple Drive. Check those roads. You'll find some nice dress shops on them. Rodeo Drive is not really the best places for wedding dresses," Sally said.

"Thanks! My car has great GPS, so I will definitely check out Beverly Hills," Veronica said.

"Is your mom meeting you here?" Harry asked.

"No. There's a cafe around the corner we are meeting at," Veronica said. "We booked her a room at the hotel we're staying the night in. After breakfast in the morning, she'll head back home. We'll head back to Neptune to help with the invitations."

"Bring her by before you leave. I'd love to meet her," Sally said.

Logan kissed Veronica goodbye. "Have fun, sugarpuss!" he said. He waved and followed the Goldsmiths into an office.

Veronica's mom was sitting in an outside table waiting for her. She waved at her daughter, obviously watching for her. She stood up and hugged Veronica. It was good to see her mom sober and smiling. It seemed surreal to Veronica. She felt happy but also a bit cautious. If she let her mom get close to her again and she fell off the wagon, the disappointment would be crushing.

"Do you mind if I order something light to eat? I wasn't really hungry when we left the house. It was too early," Veronica said.

"Not at all," Leanne replied, just content to be with her daughter. The server came to the table and took their orders. After she left, Leanne said, "I'm so glad you invited me to dress shop with you."

"Well, Mac hates shopping for clothes but did agree to go to Chicago on Saturday to shop for bridesmaids dresses," Veronica shared. "I'd like to focus on their dresses and Lily's flower girl dress and have mine found already."

"I'm so excited!" Leanne exclaimed. "It's been too long. I've missed so many things. Your senior prom. Your graduation."

"Well, I have pictures of both and a video of the graduation if you want to see them," Veronica offered.

"I do. I'd love to!" she replied in pleasure.

"Mom, I'm glad you're doing so much better," Veronica said a bit hesitantly. "But I'm a bit worried about how bad I'll feel if things fall apart for you again. I don't want to lose you all over again."

Leanne nodded in understanding. "I can't promise I won't slip. I'm an alcoholic. I might," Leanne said honestly. "But I can promise you that I won't give up making things right again if I do slip up. I won't run away again. I'll face it. It'll be easier to know that I have you there rooting for me."

Veronica's eyes filled with tears, and she reached out to take her mom's hand. "Always. I'll be rooting for you always," she promised.

Leanne gave her a tearful smile, wiping her eyes. "No tears. Today is a happy day. Tell me all about the plans you have already for your wedding," Leanne ordered.

So Veronica filled her in. It was great sharing it with her mother. When she first gave Logan a promise ring last Christmas, she never thought there would be a day she'd be planning her wedding with her mother. That was a dream she'd given up on the last time her mom had deserted her and stole from her and her dad. When she was a kid, she used to talk about it with her mom. She used to look at her parents' wedding album. She and Lilly used to argue about the veil. Lilly swore she would never cover her face. "I used to think veils were romantic. Lilly used to spurn them. Why would she cover up her face?" Veronica reminisced. "Now, of course, I agree completely with Lilly!"

Leanne laughed. "I bet Lilly wanted to wear a tiara," she guessed.

"What else?" Veronica said dryly.

"Tiara's do look good with updo's. Have you thought about how you want your hair?" Leanne asked.

"Well, if it was going to be in a chapel, I'd wear it up. But I was thinking that with a beach wedding wearing it down would make more sense," Veronica said.

"Very true. Then you don't have to worry about any hair piece or veil. Just add some curl to your hair," Leanne said.

Their food arrived. As they ate, Veronica told her mom about their plans so far.

They did go to Rodeo Drive because it had been too long since Leanne had been, and she really wanted to go. Veronica didn't mind. They did a lot of window shopping. The weather was perfect. It was in the upper 60's, so neither got overheated. Both had brought light sweaters in case the wind picked up and it became chilly. Eventually, they went in a shop and found the perfect dress for the mother of the bride. It was a light blue dress with a flowing skirt that showed off her still trim figure and brought out the color her eyes. It had a v-neck.

"Don't you think it's a bit young looking for the mother of the bride?" Leanne asked doubtfully as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I should look matronly."

Veronica smiled at her very attractive mother. "I don't think you could ever look matronly, but we can find a nice bag to wear over your head if you want," she said with a cheeky grin.

Leanne laughed. "I don't think I need to go that far," she said. She looked a bit hesitant but asked, "What's Alicia going to be wearing?"

"I don't know yet, but I can guarantee you it won't look at all matronly. Probably something in red or black. She looks great in those colors.," Veronica told her. Since her mom mentioned Alicia, Veronica ventured to ask, "Are you going to be okay seeing Dad with another woman?"

Leanne nodded. "Yes. We'll be fine. I talked to him and Alicia when I was in Neptune. Your dad and I are good. He's always been a better man than I ever deserved. I'm glad he found someone that makes him happy," Leanne said.

It was clear to Veronica that her mom had real affection for her dad, but she didn't detect a lie in her open reply. "What about the Kanes? We have to invite them since we keep using their plane for stuff. Lily is the flower girl," Veronica said.

Leanne's smile faltered a bit. "Well, I'll manage. I can't say that will be easy. Celeste is always vicious even on her good days. But it's not like she doesn't have a right to be angry. Jake wasn't always subtle with his feelings toward me," Leanne said.

"Do you still love him? Jake, I mean," Veronica asked, needing to know, wanting to understand.

Leanne turned and faced her daughter and thought about how she could answer the question. "Jake and I fell in love in high school," she shared.

"Yeah, I saw a yearbook," Veronica confessed.

"I loved him almost from the first time I met him back in middle school," Leanne shared, a smile on her face as she remembered. "He was a lot like Duncan. Sweet and kind. Not like so many other guys his age. The school was surprised when he asked me out my freshmen year. I wasn't an 09er, but he never wavered in his devotion to me. I thought we'd be together forever."

As she listened to her mom share something she'd never before discussed with her, Veronica realized that things were never as black and white as she wanted them to be.

"What happened?" Veronica asked.

"College. He was a year older. He met Celeste. She said she was pregnant. I was devastated. Jake did the right thing even when it turned out to be a lie," Leanne said, a note of bitterness in her voice. "Three months after they were married I ran into him, and he admitted she wasn't pregnant. It was so good to see him again. I had missed him so much. We ended up in bed together. Afterward, I asked him if he was going to stay with her. He said his parents would never forgive him if he divorced her so soon. He wanted to continue to see me. I was so angry and hurt that he wanted to make me his mistress. I slapped him and never spoke to him again for over a decade. Not until your friendship with Lilly forced him back into my life. I met your dad a few days after my last time with him. Keith fell in love with me almost at first sight. I was so hurt and devastated over Jake that your dad's love and attention brought me so much comfort. I clung to it. We got married after just a month."

"You got pregnant with me right away, didn't you?" Veronica asked.

Leanne nodded. "And your dad was so overjoyed. I knew I could make him a good wife and for the longest time I did," she said.

Veronica finally asked her the question she'd been wanting an answer to for so long. "If you suspected that Jake was my father, how could you have let me date Duncan? That would've been incest. Do you know how disgusted I was when I found out there was a chance?" Veronica said.

Leanne flinched at the question. "You are so much like your father. I honestly never believed you were anyone's but his. Not to mention you would've have to have been a month early. It was possible, but I kept telling myself it was too unlikely. You were so happy with Duncan. I didn't want to destroy you or your father if it was true. And I really believed you'd tell me before you decided to become sexually active," Leanne said.

"I might've if I'd had a choice in it," Veronica said bitterly. Then she finally revealed to her mom the horrors of the night she lost her virginity. When her mom had briefly come back into her life, she had never discussed it because her mom's state had been too fragile.

Leanne sat down in a nearby chair, a look of horror on her face. "Oh my God, Veronica! I had no idea!" she exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears.

"I didn't share that to make you feel bad. But imagine how I felt thinking that the guy I lost my virginity to had been my brother," Veronica said with a grimace. "And you seemed more concern about getting the money the Kanes owed me."

Leanne put her face in her hands and wept. Self-loathing filled her. Veronica got up and got her a tissue. She placed it in her mother's hand. "Don't cry. It's in the past. I've moved on. The DNA test proved that Duncan most definitely is not my brother," Veronica shared.

"I was out of my mind," Leanne said. "We lost everything after Lilly was murdered. When I got those pictures of you, I just knew Celeste was behind it. My drunken brain latched on to the idea that they needed to pay, and if you were Jake's, they would."

"Is that why you were with Jake in the hotel after you left us?" Veronica asked.

Leanne nodded. "Celeste burst in like she was going to catch Jake in bed with me, but I was never unfaithful to your father. At least not physically. I was staying there and begged him to come. I needed money and I showed him the pictures," Leanne said.

Veronica felt something inside her finally unclench at her mother's tale. Knowing she hadn't been carrying on an affair made it much easier to let go of things. "I'm sorry for dragging this up," Veronica said.

"No, I'm glad you did. It's past time we talked about these things. You're older now. You've been in love. You can understand more," Leanne said. "I never completely let go of the idea of Jake. Some loves get a hold of you and never completely fade. If I'd been stronger, I'd have let go of him and focused all my heart on your dad. He deserved it, but I didn't."

"Well, don't let Celeste give you any crap at my wedding," Veronica said. Now that she knew Celeste wasn't the victim of an affair Veronica felt very protective of her mother. Although her mom had slept with Jake after he was married, it was more like Celeste had been the other woman. Somehow that made her feel better about the sordid mess.

"I'm sure I can avoid her," Leanne said. She stood up and glanced once more at her image. "I guess I'll take the dress."

Veronica smiled as she went back to the dressing room to change. She felt much lighter after her mom's revelation. It made it easier to finally forgive her. Veronica realized that believing her mom had been unfaithful to her dad had kept some part of her angry at her mom. Her dad was the greatest man she'd ever known, and the thought of her mom stepping out on him had been a bitter blow. Even after her dad had met and fallen for Alicia, he'd broken it off to try and make things work when Leanne had come back. Veronica knew he'd done that more for her than for himself, and she'd loved him even more for it. That's why her mom's disappearance and theft had been so much worse.

Later that night, she laid in bed with Logan at a hotel they had made reservations to stay in instead of driving back home. She shared what she'd found out with Logan. He listened without interrupting.

"Wow! Jake and your mom could've been us. If you'd went to Stanford like you wanted, we may not have gotten back together. You'd have always been the one that got away," Logan said.

"So in this scenerio, you'd be my mom?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"Absolutely! I'd be trying to forget you in a bottle. Drowning my sorrows. Of course, if I ran into you, I'd do my best to get you back in my bed," he said, giving her a lecherous grin.

Veronica smiled. "Well, I'm glad I didn't go to Stanford. Maybe for grad school," she said as she leaned in to kiss him.

"You do realize your mom never exactly answered your question. Does she still love Jake?" Logan wondered.

"Hmm. That's true. I never did get a clear answer," Veronica said, frowning thoughtfully. "I will have to ask Mac and Dick to keep an eye on things at the wedding. I hope there's no fireworks."

"It's our wedding! Of course, they'll be fireworks!" Logan said, grinning. Then he realized something. "Oh, that's a good idea! We totally need to have fireworks go off as we kiss! It'll be night. Won't that be cool?"

Veronica laughed at his enthusiasm. "It's better than doves. However, we'd need to push it back to nine, so that it's dark enough. But if that's what you want, I'm fine with it," Veronica said. "How about you? How did your day go?"

"Good. Harry wants us to run some numbers and see if it's a good idea to open another branch for Faces," Logan shared.

"Really? Where? New York?" Veronica asked.

"I don't know. That's too far. Maybe Vegas or Phoenix. Or even northern California," Logan said.

"Well, Trina will tell you New York would be the most logical," Veronica said.

"I don't want to think about expanding until you and I are good and hitched. It's the only thing my mind can really focus on anyway!" Logan exclaimed.

"Well, it's just a formality. We're already committed," Veronica said.

Logan shook his head. "It's not just a formality. It's a promise. A wedding represents security and permanence. It tells the world that you are mine, and I am yours," Logan said.

"You really don't feel that way already?" Veronica asked curiously.

"I feel that way, yes. But a part of me won't feel like it's real until the vows are spoken before God and everyone we love," Logan said. "Knowing that our marriage won't be the sham my parents marriage was makes it even better. I'm going to have it all. _We're_ going to have it all!"

His passionate certainty touched her. In that moment, she refused to think of anything that could go wrong but wanted to hold onto his faith like a promise. "I'm a lucky girl," she said with a contented sigh. She laid her head down on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. She couldn't help the fanciful thought that came to her mind. _It beats for me._ Logan loved her so much. His love wrapped around her like a blanket. He made her feel so incredible. She didn't think she'd survive it if she ever lost him.

"So tell me about your dress. What did you find?" Logan asked as he ran his fingers lightly through her hair. It had grown long again.

She raised her head as her eyes lit up, but she moaned. "I couldn't decide! I found two different ones that I loved. I had Mom snap some pictures of me in them so I can show the girls," Veronica said.

"Buy them both and decide later," Logan said with a shrug.

"That would be entirely too wasteful!" Veronica said, shaking her head. "I got both dresses on a 48 hour hold. I will definitely go with one or the other, so I don't have to worry about looking for myself anymore. I left my credit card information, so I won't have to go back. They'll ship it to me. Mom found a dress, too."

Logan put his arm around her and pulled her back against him. "So it was a good day?" he asked.

"It was a great day," she admitted.

"So I guess it's my job to make it a _fabulous_ day!" he said, giving her a lustful look.

"If you're up for it," Veronica said airily.

"Oh, I'm _up _for it!" he said, rubbing the lower half of his body against her to prove it. He bent down to kiss her neck, moving his mouth down to her chest. "You are overdressed!" He removed her long sleeping shirt and wasted no time putting his mouth to her breast.

She sighed in pleasure as he began making love to her. "Do you think we'll ever get tired of this?" she asked as he played with his favorite two things.

He paused and gave her an incredulous look. "Are you kidding? The day I get sick of making love to you is the day I've been taken over by aliens!" he exclaimed, reminding her of Dick with his dramatics.

"Well, I don't think old people have sex," she said, laughter in her voice. "We'll get old eventually."

"That's what those little blue pills are for! You'll just have to lay there and let me have my way with you!" he said with a smirk. He quieted her crazy talk with his lips slanting over hers. His kisses grew hotter as her hands began to roam. He groaned in ecstasy as her hands went inside his boxers and closed around him, squeezing him. He rose up and quickly removed them. His lips slid down her body until he was kissing her private area through her silk panties.

In no time at all, Veronica forgot all about wondering if a time would come when she wouldn't melt at his touch. He set her on fire as his hands removed her panties and his mouth began to make her scream.

******_Saturday********_

Logan waited at a Starbucks in San Diego Saturday morning. It was the spot Charlie had suggested since he knew San Diego better than Neptune. Veronica had left yesterday for her weekend shopping trip. She had told him not to invite his brother unless he felt like he really wanted his brother at their wedding. Logan was hoping he and his brother would find some common ground, something to connect them besides shared DNA.

"Logan?" a voice said. Logan looked and saw an attractive man at least five years older than him. Logan stood to his feet. "Yes, I'm Logan. You must be Charlie," Logan said, holding out his hand.

Charlie shook his hand and sat down in the chair across from Logan. They both stared at each other in silence, taking stock. Logan realized the man had their father's eyes, but there was a marked difference. His eyes were kind and held no hint of cruelty. "You have Aaron's eyes," Logan remarked.

Charlie nodded. "My mom always said that," he remarked. "Does it bother you?" He had read some of the stories about Aaron. He wasn't sure what was true.

"It's disconcerting. I hated the man more than anything," Logan admitted.

"Really? He was your father," Charlie said. He had vague memories of their father. He'd come and visit when he was younger, giving Charlie expensive gifts and leaving shortly afterward.

"He was a monster," Logan said with a touch of bitterness. "I'd rather not talk about him. At least not on a first visit. The man killed my girlfriend and tried to kill another and drove my mother to suicide. He treated me like his favorite whipping boy, and I have the scars to prove it."

Charlie nodded, his eyes filled with compassion. "My experience with him was very different, but we can save it for another day," Charlie said.

"Our sister Trina has nothing but perfect, wonderful memories of him. I know she'd love to have someone to reminisce with," Logan said. "She was supposed to join me today, but she chickened out."

"I'm that scary?" Charlie said with a rueful smile.

That smile was so much like his dad's that Logan was startled. Charlie noticed Logan's reaction. "What's wrong?" he asked Logan.

Logan shook his head. "Nothing. I just have to get used to the resemblance," Logan said. "So tell me about yourself? You're a teacher?"

"Yes. High school English," Charlie said.

"I'm majoring in English at Hearst. I was thinking of psychology, but I had to pick one this year and went with English," Logan shared.

"Psychology is better to get a master's in. You can't do much with just a bachelor's in it," Charlie remarked.

"My fiancee has definite plans for graduate school, so I probably will, too," Logan said.

"You're still with the girl you took a bullet for?" Charlie asked.

"You heard about that?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Well, it was all over the news. My wife thought it was the most romantic thing ever. I felt judged for not taking a bullet for her," Charlie said, grinning.

"You're married?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Yes, four years now. Our daughter is two," Charlie said. He pulled out his cell and showed Logan a picture.

"She's adorable. We have a goddaughter. And Trina had a son a few months ago. They live with us. Richie has red hair like Trina," Logan said, showing Charlie the picture of Richie and Trina he kept on his phone.

Charlie smiled. "How about you? Do you want kids?" Charlie asked.

Logan's smile slipped as he nodded. "Yeah. Veronica miscarried not too long ago. It was pretty awful. We were very excited about starting a family," Logan said.

"I'm sorry," Charlie said with sympathy.

"Yeah, me, too. But it's okay. We're young. Lots of time to have a baby. We're getting married New Year's Eve," Logan said.

"Congratulations," Charlie said. "That's a good date. You won't forget your anniversary."

"I wouldn't anyway. I'm the girl in our relationship when it comes to those things," Logan admitted with a sheepish grin.

Charlie laughed. "My wife will love you," he said.

"So do you mind if I ask how old you are? I'm twenty-one. Trina is twenty-six," Logan said.

"I'm twenty-eight," Charlie said.

"Do you have any other siblings?" Logan asked, curious.

"No. My mom remarried when I was a teenager to a man that had some, so I have some stepsiblings. We're not overly close," Charlie admitted.

"My friends are like my family. We've been through a lot together," Logan said.

"So I've read," Charlie said with a smile.

"Don't believe everything you've read," Logan said.

"So you didn't take a bullet for your girlfriend?" Charlie asked.

"Well, that one was true. Veronica tends to attract trouble. She got hit by a car when she was pregnant by a guy she helped get locked up. She's a P.I. Luckily, she's decided to stop the investigating for a bit. She's going to be a profiler for the FBI."

"Ambitious. Think she'll make it?" he asked.

He sighed. "Unfortunately for me, yes, I do. She's tenacious, brilliant, and brave," Logan said, his admiration obvious.

"Sounds like your life will never be dull," Charlie said.

"No, it won't," Logan said with a grin. It felt easy talking to this man who was his brother by blood. He didn't know if it was a blood bond or just his desire to connect with family.

A silence fell between them. Finally, Logan said, "I'm really sorry about the problems I caused when I outed you as my brother. That reporter posing as you did a number on me. Veronica has this amazing relationship with her dad. It's like they speak a language only they know. I've always envied her. Trina and I were never close. It's only been recently that we've manage to connect. I was so excited at the thought of having a brother that I didn't even question the reporter's claim to be you. I felt like such an idiot when I found out he wasn't. I had trusted him and shared things about my dad I hadn't ever told anyone-not even Veronica."

Charlie looked at him somberly, understanding what the younger man was leaving unsaid. "It's okay. My principal and fellow teachers didn't like it, but it upped my cool factor with my students," Charlie said, smiling.

Logan laughed, liking him for saying that. "So do you surf?" Logan asked. When Charlie's eye's lit up, Logan finally relaxed. Maybe he would finally have the older brother he'd always wanted.

_******Chapter End******_

_Please, forgive me if I violated some vague Charlie Stone fact. He was mentioned in like one episode, so I figure it's not that big of deal what I make up. _

_In the next chapter, I will back track a bit to Friday and focus on the girls' shopping trip to Chicago. I wanted this chapter to be exclusively LoVe centered and about them connecting with their families._

_I have created another poll, so you can help me decide on the perfect wedding dress. Thanks to Bewitchingredhead36, DevilJolie, and Maggi Esk for helping me narrow down the many dress choices. If you don't like either choice in the poll, just pick which one you think would best suit Veronica. Don't send me other choices. There are so beautiful I can never pick. This is the best I can manage! If you go to the links, you can see one is beautiful and classy, and the other is sexy and nontraditional. These are dresses you can actually find in dress shops in Beverly Hills! I hope you don't think I'm lazy for asking for help. I feel like if you've been reading all my installments in this story, the wedding is your reward. I want it to be perfect! Thanks a bunch!_


	38. Chapter 38

**This chapter is rated "M" for mature due to the short, opening scene.**

Chapter 38: Shopping in Chi-Town

*******_Friday*******_

Friday morning, Veronica awoke to find Logan's arms wrapped around her. She turned in his arms and faced him. He was still asleep. Veronica debated on whether or not she should let him sleep. However, she knew if she left without telling him he'd be hurt. She put her hand to his cheek; he didn't stir. She planted a kiss on his lips. They stretched into a smile. His arms tightened around her indicating he was awake. She kissed him again. Suddenly, he moved onto his back taking her with him. His eyes opened, and he gazed at her with a sleepy smile.

"This is how I want to always awake-being covered by you."

Veronica laughed. "Not sure how that will work. Should I just climb on every night?" she asked.

"Works for me!" he exclaimed. "You can climb onto me anytime you want!" He kissed her and smacked his lips. "I'm addicted!"

Veronica giggled and sat up, her legs straddling him. "Well, we can start treating your addiction as soon as I get back," she said. When she felt him hardened beneath her, she gasped.

He smirked. "Why don't we start right now? I'll be quick!" he said. His hands reached and slipped inside her panties. When he felt her wetness, his grinned widened. "I see you're a bit addicted yourself."

She stretched her legs so he could have better access. "It's a Pavlovian response," she said a bit breathlessly as he plunged his fingers inside her. He pumped in and out until she was dying to have him inside her. "Please, Logan. I need you!"

He pulled his hand out and ripped off her underwear. Then he pushed down his own until his erection was free to rub against her. She moved her body against him. He allowed her to create the friction she craved, causing his own body to get even harder. When she reached out and wrapped her hands around him, it was his turn to gasp.

"Okay, no point in dragging this out. You got places to be," he said with a wolfish grin. He put his hands around her waist and lifted her until she was directly over him. Then he eased inside her.

Much to his delight, Veronica reached down and pulled off her long t-shirt, exposing her breasts. Then she began moving, riding him the way she knew he loved. She kept her eyes locked on his. His hands reached out and began fondling her breasts.

"Faster!" he moaned, his eyes closing as she complied. He moved a hand down and began rubbing her clit, making her clench around in him response. It didn't take long for her to explode, causing her body to lock onto him. He gave in and finally released with a shout.

"God! I love you!" he exclaimed as he pulled her mouth to his, kissing her ruthlessly.

She pulled back, smiling at him. "Don't get in the habit of the two minute foreplay," she admonished.

"Hey, you're the one with the busy schedule today. I was just being considerate," he insisted.

She moved off of him with a snicker. "Since I'm feeling so good, I'll let that one slide," she said. She walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. "Are you going to join me?"

Logan's eyes lit up at the invitation and he hopped out of bed.

******_The Kanes*****_

Parker arrived at Duncan's without her roommate. Mac had stayed the night with Dick, so she drove over with her car. Dick and Logan both were going to drop off their girlfriends, so Parker's would be the only car left at the Kanes'. For some reason, it was decided they meet at Duncan's instead of the airport. Parker hoped she wasn't the first one to arrive. She didn't think spending time alone with Duncan was a good idea.

She rang the doorbell. Lily's nanny answered the door.

"Who is it?" Lily called, obviously running to the door behind her.

Parker stepped inside, greeting the nanny and Lily.

"Hey, Parker! You came to see me!" Lily exclaimed excitedly.

Duncan appeared. "Actually, sweetie, she is here to meet Veronica and Mac. I'm taking them to the airport to use Grandpa's plane," Duncan said. He smiled at Parker.

"Hi," she said to Duncan.

"Where's you going?" Lily asked her.

"They're going to Chicago to visit Jazmin and to buy dresses for Veronica and Logan's wedding," Duncan said.

Predictably, Lily's eyes lit up. "Dress for me? I's the flower girl! I wanna go!" she insisted.

Duncan knew this would happen. He'd planned for it. "You can't, honey. Remember? You have your first play date with Sara today. And she's coming over here tomorrow," Duncan said.

Lily looked crestfallen. "But, Daddy, I gotta be bootiful for the wedding!" Lily said.

Parker laughed. "You are always beautiful, honey. I promise we will pick you out the best dress!" Parker assured her.

When she started to protest, Duncan gave her nanny a look. She reached for Lily's hand and said, "Come on, Lil. Time to get dressed for your date."

"We'll send your daddy some pictures of the best dresses, and you can tell Veronica which one you like the best, okay?" Parker suggested.

Lily smiled. "Okay!" she said. She hugged Parker's legs and then let her nanny lead her away.

"Would you like some coffee? We have some in the kitchen," Duncan suggested.

"I'd love some, thanks," Parker said. She followed him into the kitchen.

He stopped suddenly and turned back toward her. His abrupt pause had her inches from him. When she moved to step back, he reached out and grabbed her hand. "Is it really over? Should I give up on you and move on? Is that what you want?" he asked, his eyes imploring her to say no.

Parker was caught of guard but his words. "I want you to be happy," she said quietly.

He moved closer, pinning her against the kitchen counter. His hand pushed her hair back off of her shoulder and rested on her cheek. "You make me happy," he said.

Parker closed her eyes a moment. Why was this so hard for her? She opened her eyes and faced him. "I am sorry, Duncan. I never meant to hurt you. I care for you, but you need to let me go," she said.

Duncan knew she was right, but he could see in her eyes that she was torn-a far cry from indifference. He had to know. He had to know if she had really done that. Had she let him go? Determined to find out, he pressed his lips against hers. Instead of pushing him away, her lips opened slightly allowing his tongue entrance. He kissed her like it was the last time he'd ever do so, wanting desperately to imprint himself on her in some way.

Parker was swept away by his kiss. Her mind froze, forgetting everything but the feel of his lips, the taste of him. In spite of her love for Piz, her arms went around his neck, returning the kiss with fervor. The kiss was hot and wet. It destroyed her. The ringing of the doorbell broke through the fog of lust and longing that had engulfed them.

When Duncan pulled back, he looked at her with regret. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if I'd imagined it. How good we were together," he said. He stepped away from her. "I'm going to do what you want. I'm going to move on. Attraction can't trump love. If you love Piz, then I hope you'll be happy."

He turned and walked away to greet the rest of his guests.

Parker felt like crying. How could she respond to him that way? Shouldn't her love for Piz keep her from such attraction? What was wrong with her?

A short time later, Duncan was in his limo with Veronica next to him. Parker and Mac were across from them. The girls were chatting excitedly. Daisy was driving down and meeting them at the San Diego airport.

He shouldn't have kissed Parker. He knew that. But he just had to know if she was indifferent to him. If she was truly committed to a life with Piz, she wouldn't have been able to kiss him like that. He stared silently at her while she pretended he wasn't there. She said she wanted him to let her go. However, her kiss said everything but that. It was obvious to Duncan that she was conflicted in ways she didn't realize. He cared too much about her, though, to torment her with their attraction. So he'd do what she said. He'd let her go. At least he'd give the appearance of it. If that was really what she wanted, then she'd be happy. Either way, they'd both know where they stood. It wouldn't be the first time Duncan didn't get what he wanted.

******_Chicago*******_

"So have you ever been to Chicago?" Parker asked Daisy. They were in a car Jazmin's dad had waiting for them at O'Hare. She thought she should get to know her soon-to-be new roommate.

"Yes. I came one summer for their Blues Festival they have every year. Lots of free live music. I saw B.B. King," Daisy shared.

"Really? Piz would be so jealous," Parker said.

"There's so much to see here. Logan and I went down to the Navy Pier when we were here. It's the biggest tourist attraction. There's like a giant Ferris wheel like on the Santa Monica Pier and a stain-glassed museum. It was really cool," Veronica shared.

The car stopped in front of the Jaleno's Oak Park residence. They got out, and the door opened. Jason came down to greet them. Michael was behind him.

"Hey, ladies. How was your flight?" Jason asked. He reached out and grabbed a bag out of the trunk. Michael grabbed one in each hand.

"We didn't bring much. We can carry them," Mac said.

"Speak for yourself," Daisy said with a smirk.

"I guess most of these bags are yours," Jason said, smiling at her.

"Of course," she said without apology.

Veronica threw her arms around Daisy's shoulder. "You know our girl is high maintenance," Veronica said, teasing her.

"And unashamed of that fact," Daisy said airily.

Parker laughed. "Hey, I also brought more than Veronica and Mac. Those girls only brought one tiny bag," she said.

"It's all we needed for two nights and days," Veronica said as they walked up the stairs.

Sebastian came into the foyer to greet the girls. "We have rooms prepared for you upstairs," he told them.

"Are you sure you have enough room? We can stay at a hotel," Veronica said.

"Nonsense. My mother-in-law would never let me hear the end of it. Nor would Jazmin," he said. "We have two guests rooms, and Jason has agreed to give up his room. Would one of you mind doubling up?"

"Not at all. Mac and I can share," Veronica said.

Jason led them upstairs to their rooms. Mac and Veronica were given the largest guest room since they were sharing. Parker was led across the hall. He saved Daisy for last. He led her to his room, feeling immense satisfaction at the thought of having her in his bed even if he wasn't going to join her there.

"So let me guess. I get your room?" Daisy asked with an arch of her eyebrow. He led her down the hall.

"Jazmin's room is across from it. My parents' room is downstairs, so you all will have lots of privacy. I'll be downstairs in the pullout couch in the library," Jason said, stepping into his room.

Daisy looked around his room with interest. She was unsurprised by the shelves full of trophies. Nor did the tidiness of it surprise her. The bookshelf full of books did surprise her. She knew he was highly intelligent, but she never saw him reading. His bed was covered with a black comforter. She pulled it back and put her hands on the black silk sheets underneath. "Nice," she said in approval.

"I've dreamt of you in that bed. I never thought the dream would come true," he said, smiling at her.

She turned and faced him. Giving him a coy look, she stepped up and put her hand on his chest. "You dreamed of me alone in your bed? I doubt that," she said knowingly.

He stepped closer and put his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. "No, in my dreams, we started like this," he said, bending his head and kissing her ruthlessly. He gave her no chance to do anything but accept his kiss. When he pulled back, her eyes were glassy. He pushed her backward until she fell onto his bed. Jason laid down next to her, looming over her.

Daisy stared up wide-eyed at him, unable to process what had happened. For some reason, she never expected him to make a move. At least not so soon or so effectively. "What do you think you're doing?" she finally spit out.

"Reminding you of how much you want me," he said with determination. He put his mouth to her throat, knowing it was a sensitive area.

The will to push him off of her left her as he began kissing and sucking on her neck. Then his lips captured hers again.

Curious to see all the rooms, Mac stepped into Jason's room. Her mouth fell open in shock as she saw Jason on top of Daisy kissing her passionately. "Oh God! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. She turned to leave, slipping out the still open door.

Her interruption was enough to bring Daisy back to her senses. She pushed against Jason's chest, breaking off his kiss. "Stop! Mac just walked in," she said.

"So? She's seen two people kissing before," Jason said dismissively as he kissed her neck.

"We're not doing this," Daisy said breathlessly. God, why was it so hard to make him stop? She didn't want him kissing her. He had hurt her too much.

"Of course, we're not," he said easily. Then he captured her lips again. This time the kiss was so sweet and so gentle Daisy wanted to cry. The knowledge of how deeply he affected her gave her the resolve to finally slip away from him.

Jason turned on his side and looked at her, feeling good that she'd responded so well to him. "Are you sure you don't want to finish this?" he asked, grinning at her.

"No. I don't," she said firmly. She was disgusted with herself. She wasn't going to let him back in. Turning her back toward, she took a deep breath.

Jason got up. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. He got up and moved behind her. He put his arms around her waist, drop a kiss on her neck.

She turned quickly and glared at him. "Stop doing that!" she exclaimed.

"I miss you. Why won't you forgive me? I love you. You said you loved me," he reminded her.

"Yeah, well, I say a lot of things," she said with a careless air, determined to not give him an opening.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jason asked, narrowing his eyes at her. "You don't love me anymore?"

"Why would I love a guy who is incapable of loving me back the way I deserve?" she said crossly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Just like that?" Jason asked in disbelief.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, Jason. Go away and leave me alone," she said coldly.

Jason shrugged, pretending like her words and attitude didn't cut him to the core. "Okay," he said. He turned and walked out.

Veronica stopped by a few minutes later. Mac had told her what she saw. She wasn't trying to be a voyeur, but she wanted to make sure Daisy was okay. She had seen Jason walk by their open bedroom door, so she knew Daisy was alone.

"Are you okay?" Veronica asked as she stepped in Daisy's room. Daisy was sitting on the bed staring into space.

Daisy blinked and looked at her. "I'm fine," she said.

"Mac told me you and Jason were having a moment," Veronica said.

"He found the appeal of me in his room too much to handle," Daisy said, rolling her eyes. She stood up. "Is it time for lunch? I'm hungry."

"If you need to talk, I'm here," Veronica offered.

"I know. I'm okay. Just a momentary lapse. I sent him packing," Daisy said.

"It's okay to forgive him, you know," Veronica said.

"I don't want to," Daisy said firmly.

"Okay, so lunch it is," she said, not wanting to ruin the day with bitter memories.

They went downstairs. "Jazmin will be here this afternoon," Jason told them. "My mom got us all tickets to see _Wicked_ tonight. The seats are great."

"Really?" Veronica asked, her eyes lighting up. The rest of them were equally excited.

"She knows someone in the arts district. It's her thing," Jason said.

"We're hungry," Veronica said.

"I know a great Cuban cafe down the street," Jason suggested.

"I've never had Cuban food before," Parker said.

"It's yummy. You'll love it," Daisy said.

"Cuban it is," Jason said.

After they had their very tasty lunch, Jazmin arrived at the house. Her mother brought her in. "Jazmin, if you're not up to all the activity, I'm sure your friends will understand," her mom said.

"No, seeing them is the best medicine," Jazmin said, smiling at her friends. They took turns hugging her.

Daisy even smiled at her. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Good. Much better. Thanks," Jazmin said. She glanced at her brother, who had neglected to mention Daisy was going to be there. Was it an oversight or were things still not good between them?

She never got a chance to speak alone to her brother. The girls talked wedding plans until it was time for the four o'clock performance of _Wicked._

Their seats were about five rows from the front in the dead center. Jazmin and Jason had both seen it before. However, it was the kind of show you could watch more than once. Jason managed to sit next to Daisy. He watched her more than the performance. At half time when the show stopping song "Defying Gravity" was sung, he watched the pleasure and excitement on Daisy's face. He wanted desperately to inspire that expression on her face. The fact that she'd barely look at him since the kiss rankled him to no end.

As the lights came on for the first act intermission, Daisy ignored him and turned to Parker on her other side.

"That was incredible!" Daisy gushed.

"I still can't breathe! Live singing of that caliber is so much different than listening to it on a CD," Parker said.

"Are you liking it?" Jazmin asked Mac and Veronica.

"Are you kidding? It's amazing!" Veronica enthused. "I wish Logan was here!"

"Dick says he hates musicals, but I think he'd love this one!" Mac said.

"Of course, he would. There's flying monkeys!" Jazmin said, grinning. Mac laughed in agreement, knowing Dick would love the flying monkeys.

"Do you ladies want to go get a glass of wine or something? Intermission is a full half hour," Jason said.

Veronica followed her friends. She watched Jazmin talking intimately with Mac and felt relieved to see her doing so much better. The horror of losing Lilly would never completely fade, and she never wanted to lose another friend to violence.

*******_The Next Day*******_

The next morning was a perfect day for shopping. There wasn't any snow on the ground even though the temperature was much colder than the Californian girls were used to. Parker was the only one not fazed by the upper forty degrees temperature. She was used to cold winters since she was not a native Californian.

"I'm not sure I can deal well with this cold," Daisy complained as they stepped outside.

"Well, we could ask Jason to come along. He seems to get your temperature rising," Veronica teased.

"Not necessary," Daisy said with a glare. Mac and Veronica laughed.

"If it was summer, we could just stroll down Michigan Avenue," Jazmin said. When the girls look at her like she was insane, she laughed. "I know. I didn't think that would fly. Dad loaned us his driver for the day. I have a list of several shops I know have the dresses we'll be looking for."

"Great! Can we see something fun to start the day?" Veronica asked.

"That's the plan," Jazmin said as they climbed into the car.

Jazmin had decided to start the day at Millennium Park. The girls had fun taking pictures.

"Why is there a giant metal coffee bean on Michigan Avenue?" Parker asked.

"It's the coolest thing!" Mac said. "Dick would go nuts!"

"It had a much fancier name when it was first made, but everyone kept calling it the Bean because it does look like a coffee bean," Jazmin said. "I don't think that was the intention, though."

They watched the fountain spouts and the changing faces. "Wow!" Parker said. The giant brick walls faced each other. Various people would flash on the screen. Only one person at a time. Then the person would smile and out of their mouth would shoot water.

"In the summer, kids will stand under the water spout and get some relief from the heat," Jazmin said.

"What's those lion statues?" Mac asked pointing northward.

"That's the front of the Art Institute," Jazmin said. "It's one of my favorite places in the world."

"So if we find the dresses today, maybe we can go check it out before we leave tomorrow?" Mac suggested.

"Sounds great to me!" Veronica said. "We went to the Fields Museum when we came here last summer. It was where Logan wanted to go. We spent an entire day there. There was too much to see."

"Yeah, it's a great place, too," Jazmin said.

They headed back to their car. The first dress shop they went to was a bust. They went on to the next one. Veronica had decided that instead of picking colors she just wanted the girls to agree on one dress, and they'd each pick a different color. Getting them to agree on one dress was the problem. Daisy refused to commit to any dress until she'd seen all the options.

"Do you want some Chicago style pizza for lunch?" Jazmin asked.

"Absolutely!" Veronica exclaimed. "Giordanos?"

"Actually, I prefer a place on Ohio. Pizzeria Uno. Its sister restaurant is on Wabash if it's too crowded. The other one is called Pizzeria Due," Jazmin said.

"We'll trust you," Mac said.

"Can we drive by the Christmas tree?" Parker asked.

"It's not as big as the one in New York City, but it's impressive. There's a German Village near it that's pretty amazing," Jazmin said.

"Why don't we take a break from dress shopping and go there after lunch for a bit?" Veronica suggested.

"It's your shopping day," Jazmin easily agreed. It was great spending normal times with her friends. The only thing that could make the day better was if Eli was here, too.

They each ordered a personal pan deep dish pizza. Mac couldn't believe they actually had broccoli as a topping option. For an appetizer, they ordered the Chi-Town Tasting Plate that had a little bit of everything: Buffalo Wings, Crispy Cheese Dippers, an Avocado Egg Roll, Chicken Thumbs® and fries. Mac loved the avocado egg rolls so much that she and Veronica flipped a coin to see who got the last one.

"You won't have room for your pizza!" Jazmin warned.

"Oh, I'll have room," Veronica said confidently.

"I've always wanted to try the famous, authentic Chicago pizza, so I don't care if I finish," Mac said, grinning.

When the pizzas arrived, they dug in with relish. No one could finish more than two of the four slices. Mac only managed one.

"I am never eating at Cho's again!" Parker exclaimed. "There's pizza and then there's _pizza_!"

"Cho's is okay," Jazmin said.

"You are really well-mannered," Veronica said, patting her hand. "Cho's isn't even close to this!"

"Well, once you get used to Chicago pizza, all other pizza tastes inferior except for New York City's," Jazmin said.

After the girls finished lunch, the driver drove them over to the Christmas area where the German Village was. They strolled around, impressed by it. Mac found the perfect Christmas gift for her parents. They ended up spending a full hour there looking and buying things.

When they made it back to the car with their purchases, Veronica groaned. "I found lots of great stuff, but we still have to find the perfect dresses!"

"We'll go to Nordstrom. They have a _lot _of choices," Jazmin said.

They split up an began browsing. Finally, Veronica found something she and Mac agreed was both lovely and appropriate for a beach wedding. It was a Donna Morgan strapless silk chiffon with a sweetheart bodice. The sales clerk assured them that any color they liked they would have the size.

"I think this one would be great on everyone," Veronica said.

"I like this purplish one," Mac said checking the sizes. "Grey ridge is what the tag says, but it looks purple to me."

"Me, too," Veronica said.

Parker came over and admired the dress. "Oh, this one is great. The light pink is my favorite," she said.

"Ladies, how about you all grab a different color you like in your size and try them on?" Veronica said, hoping they'd all like it.

Daisy was disappointed that it didn't come in red, but she grabbed the midnight black one. "A girl can never have enough black dresses," she said with satisfaction.

"I like both shades of blue. The amethyst color and the beach glass," Jazmin said.

"Try one them both and we'll help you decide," Veronica suggested.

Since Mac and Daisy were going with darker colors, they decided that Jazmin should go with the sea glass blue. Parker's dress was a lighter color. Veronica thought they were perfect, so she snapped pictures to send to her mom and Alicia.

They all agreed that the dress was the perfect choice. It fell a few inches above the knee with a pleated skirt. The dress did a lot to accent their bosoms. Daisy flashed Veronica a wicked grin. She was the most endowed in that department.

"Jason's going to have a heart attack if she sees you in that dress!" Mac said.

"I think you may need to get it altered a bit. I don't want you looking like a porn star, spilling out of it," Veronica said with a snicker.

"My mom can alter it," Daisy said confidently. Black was a good color on. With her dark coloring, it made her look sultry and mysterious.

"So can we all just agree that this one is it? I'm sick of looking at dresses," Mac said.

"Yeah, me, too. I've got my dress," Veronica said with satisfaction. "I still need to pick out Lily's dress, though."

While her friends were changing, she went over to the toddler section. They had a lot of adorable choices. The ballerina dress she knew Lily would love, but she didn't think it'd fit the beach setting.

Veronica snapped pictures of two flower girl dresses she liked the most. One was an ivory satin tank dress with a splash of color around the waist. It had a belt that tied around the waist in various colors. Then the second was a sleeveless empire dress with a flower on the waist that she knew Lily would like. She thought the lavender would be nice in the second style. She sent the pictures to Duncan. Then she called him to find out which one Lily liked best.

Duncan called her. "She won't pick. She says she has to try them on and see how she looks," he said with a sigh. His darling diva was such a girl!

"So I'll just get both in her size. She can wear the other to church or something. Or save it for the next wedding," Veronica said, grinning at Mac who was standing next to her.

"That's fine. I'll pay you back," Duncan said.

"You let us use your plane. I think we still owe you. Don't worry about it," she said.

"So are you guys having fun?" he asked.

"A lot," she said. They said goodbye, and she hung up her phone.

"So are we done?" Jazmin asked.

"Are you okay? I know this is more activity than you've had in awhile," Veronica said.

"I'm okay but I am wiped. We have my parents Christmas party to get through tonight. If we get home by four, we can rest a bit before it starts," Jazmin said.

The girls agreed to their purchases and had the dresses put in garment bags, so they wouldn't get wrinkled or smashed.

*******_The Christmas Party******_

Jazmin was not in the mood to deal with her parents' friends, but she knew she had to put in an appearance. Next week would be her last week at the clinic. Learning to cope with stress was a big part of her recovery. She was pinning her hair up when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said, expecting it was one of her friends. However, it was Joseph. He closed the bedroom door behind him.

"What are you doing in my room?" she asked warily.

"Hey, you asked me to do you a favor. I thought that meant you'd forgiven me," Joseph said.

"I am working on it, Joseph. But I have a lot on my plate to work through these days," she said.

Joseph hated to see the lack of fight in her. "I don't like seeing you defeated," he said.

"I'm not defeated. It's just been a long day of shopping. I'm pretty wiped," she said. "I'm doing much better."

"Good," he said, flashing her a genuine smile. It'd been such a long time since she seen it that she was startled for a minute.

"You're smiling at me," she said in bemusement. "I'd forgotten what that was like."

"I'd smile more if you'd stop hating me," he said sincerely. "I relive that day all the time in my dreams. Except sometimes I'm sober, and I don't hit you. Sometimes you don't fall down the stairs. Sometimes it ends in our baby in my arms."

Jazmin had the same dreams for a long time. However, she knew it wasn't healthy to dwell on what could've been. "There's no point in torturing ourselves with the past or what could've happened. You made your choice. I had to live with the consequences."

"We both did," he reminded her. "I could let go if you'd forgive me."

Hating anyone wasn't really in her nature. As Jazmin gazed at his pleading face, she realized that her heart had only room to hate one person at a time. Right now all her hatred was reserved for David. She didn't seem to have any left for Joseph. "Okay. I don't have the energy to keep hating you anyway," she said.

He grinned and stepped forward to hug her. Then he kissed both her cheeks. For the fist time in a long time, she didn't feel the urge to vomit at his touch. She supposed that was an improvement.

Joseph knew not to push her, though, and quickly stepped away and gave her space. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out something in a small paper bag. "I got what you wanted," he said soberly.

Jazmin's eyes widened as he pulled out a very small handgun. "It's a baby Glock-a G26. It's small enough to fit in your purse. It has ten rounds and is extremely accurate. It's a common back-up weapon for officers," he said. He showed her the safety. "I want to take you to a firing range in Indiana, so you can practice shooting, and we can go over how to take it apart and clean it."

"How long of a drive?" she asked.

"Less than two. Can you get an afternoon pass this week?" he asked.

"I'm only there five more nights. I'm going back tomorrow, but I check out Friday for good. I'll go twice a week for counseling until I move back to Neptune for classes," Jazmin said. "I can get a pass for Wednesday. It's the best day."

"Okay. That'll work. I think you should tell your brother, though. He'd understand," he advised.

"No. I can't risk him taking it from me. He feels it's his job to protect me. But I need this. I need to feel safe. He broke into my own home and hurt me, Joseph. You can't know what that's like. You can't know what it's like to feel so victimized, to hate yourself so much you can't look at yourself in the mirror most days," Jazmin said, her eyes filled with pain at the memory. Turning, she put the small gun in her nightstand drawer.

Seeing her pain made Joseph angry. He was going to have to go to Texas and find this guy. He didn't have to let anyone know. But the guy who did this to her didn't deserve to live. In a moment of weakness he could never take back, Joseph had hurt her. The only woman he'd ever loved. Nothing could change what he did. He knew she'd never feel the same way about him. But her and her brother had been his family his entire life. Losing them both had been awful. He'd do anything to make it up to her. If he could get rid of the man who'd raped and hurt her, maybe it'd somehow make up for what he did. Or at least let her know how much he really wanted her forgiveness.

"Okay, I won't say anything," Joseph said quietly. "I'll see you downstairs. You may want to tell your dad you don't hate the sight of me anymore. He's been cold since your boyfriend attacked me when I was in Neptune."

The memory of that made her smile. She wished Eli was here.

Veronica was coming out of her bedroom and glanced up in time to see Joseph coming out of Jazmin's room. She blinked at the unexpected sight. Concerned for Jazmin, she walked to her room. The door was slightly a jar. She pushed it open. "Hey. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Jazmin asked.

"I saw Joseph coming out of here and thought he might be harassing you," Veronica said.

"No, he wasn't. He was apologizing again, begging me to forgive him. Dad's been angry with him since they both were in Neptune," Jazmin said.

"I don't think you need to worry about him now. You have enough on your plate," Veronica said.

"Very true. That's why I've decided to forgive him. It's too much work holding on to my hatred for him. I don't have the energy to spare," Jazmin said.

"I can understand that," Veronica said.

Jazmin felt guilty for hiding the full truth from Veronica. She'd vowed not to lie to her friends again. She knew Veronica may be the only one that understood her desire to feel safe again.

"Can I tell you something and you promise not to tell a soul? Not Logan or Mac or my brother. No one," Jazmin said. She didn't want to lie anymore to Veronica.

Veronica could see she was completely serious and nodded. "I promise. I can keep a secret. It used to be a hobby of mine," she said, smiling.

Jazmin went to her nightstand and picked up the small gun. "Joseph was getting this for me. You can't have these legally in Chicago," she said.

Veronica's eyes widened at the sight of the gun. Her dad carried one, so she was more comfortable around them than most. However, the sight of it in Jazmin's hand was startling. "Do you know how to use that?" she asked.

"No. Joseph's going to teach me. I need this, Veronica. I need to feel safe," Jazmin said.

"I can get you a tazer. You can carry that in your purse," she said.

"Until I know David isn't coming back to Hearst or he's in jail, I need this," Jazmin said firmly.

Veronica nodded. She did understand. She couldn't blame Jazmin. However, she couldn't help but worry that having the gun would end badly.

"Promise me you won't accidentally shoot yourself or feel like ending your life again," Veronica said pointedly.

"I swear the thought never crossed my mind! I have no intention in using this gun on myself or anyone unless I feel my life is in danger," Jazmin promised.

"Okay. Your secret's safe with me. But don't carry that thing around until you feel confident in how to use it," Veronica cautioned. She watched Jazmin put it back in her nightstand. She said a silent prayer that her friend would never need to use it.

******_Chapter End******_

_All the Chicago stuff described in this chapter is accurate to the best of my memory. It's a great city to visit. The pizza ruined me for any other's. I don't miss the weather, but I do miss the food. Don't forget to vote in my wedding dress poll. Thanks for those that already did. Two more chapters to go! I appreciate your reviews!_


	39. Chapter 39

**I would like to dedicate this chapter to Felicia Bond known to fanfiction as Felicia1975. She passed away July 8th after losing a battle to cancer. I never met her, but we emailed each other so much over the past few years over our mutual obsession with the _Vampire Diaries_ and _Veronica Mars_ that I felt like she was my friend. She was a constant supporter of my stories and was so excited about the new Veronica Mars movie and Vampire Diaries spin off. She was a faithful reader and reviewer of fanfiction, especially Veronica Mars and Vampire Diaries. If she was someone who reviewed your stories, know that she'd still be doing so if she could. **

**Felicia1975, I hope to meet you in person some day in the next world. I'm sorry you won't get to finish reading this story. Your presence will be missed.**

Chapter 39: Counting Down the Days

******_Sunday Evening at the Beach House******_

When Logan heard a car door slam, he walked quickly to the front door and opened it. He stepped out onto the walk way to greet Veronica. Duncan was behind her carrying shopping bags. Veronica grinned happily at him. She dropped her suitcase handle and messenger bag when she made it to him and jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist.

They were still kissing when Duncan said, "Guys! I'm loaded down here!" When they ignored him and kept kissing, he said, "Well, at least let me get by." He shoved his way past Logan and walked into their house. Trina came out of her room with Richie as he passed by. He smiled at them but didn't stop until he made it to Veronica and Logan's room. Sighing in relief, he put his burden down on their bed.

When he made it back into the living room, Veronica was now covering Richie in kisses. It made Duncan smile to see her so happy. She'd softened so much the past year. In some ways, she was more like the girl he'd fallen in love with when he was fifteen. However, he was so far from the guy that he was then that the memories of his time with Veronica weren't even bittersweet. They were just sweet.

"I can't believe you left me for almost three full days!" Logan said, glaring at her. "We're getting married in like two weeks. You're not supposed to leave!"

"It was practically your idea!" Veronica said, laughing at him. "Did Richie miss me?"

"Not as much as I did," Logan grumbled.

Trina laughed. "He was really lame without you. Dick came over last night, and they played drunken X-box all night. He just got up a few hours ago," Trina said with a smirk.

"Dick was missing Mac, and we kept each other company," Logan said with a shrug.

"I need to give Richie his bath," Trina said. Veronica reluctantly handed him back over.

"Can you stay for a bit?" Logan asked Duncan.

Duncan sat down on the armchair. "For a few minutes. Lily is going to model her dress choices for me when I get back," Duncan shared.

"She is so much like your sister sometimes. We're going to have to really keep an eye on her ten years from now," Logan said.

"I can't even think that far into the future!" Duncan said with a groan.

"So was your trip a success?" Logan asked Veronica.

"Yep. The girls will look fabulous!" Veronica said happily. "Jazmin seemed really great." She tried not to think about the scene with Joseph and the new gun in Jazmin's possession.

Logan looked at Duncan's dark expression. "What's wrong, dude? The thought of the lovely bridesmaids upsets you?" he asked.

Duncan cleared his expression and shrugged. "No. It's just time for me to give Parker what she says she wants. We had a few minutes alone on Friday at my house, and I discovered that she's still attracted to me. But it's clear she doesn't want much to do with me or our attraction," Duncan said with a defeated sigh.

"How do you know she's still attracted to you?" Veronica asked suspiciously.

"How do you think?" Duncan asked bluntly. "I cornered her and kissed her."

"Nice!" Logan said in admiration. "Remind her what she's missing!"

"That's not nice at all! You'll just make her feel guilty and not want to be around you all the more," Veronica said with a frown of disapproval.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'll try the whole moving on bit and see if it helps," Duncan said, clearly not excited at the prospect.

"Hey, Daisy's single. She's still hung up on Jason, so you won't have to worry about hurting her feelings if you just want someone to hang out with," Logan suggested.

"That's Daisy's thought, too," Duncan said with a nod. "She's kind of suggested that."

"I don't know. She and Jason are still pretty hot for each other. Mac walked in on them kissing in his bedroom on Saturday," Veronica said.

"The girl is a barracuda. She's going to be punishing Jason for a long time before she forgives him. I just hope she doesn't destroy what they have before she's done," Logan said.

Veronica frowned at the thought. "She won't."

"Daisy doesn't want to be with Jason anymore. He hurt her and she's not very forgiving," Duncan said.

"Like someone else I can name," Logan said, giving Veronica a pointed look.

"Don't do the crime if you don't want to do the time," she said unapologetic.

Duncan got to his feet. "Well, I'm hoping the New Year will bring me better luck in the romance department," Duncan said.

"It's bound to get better. It can't get worse!" Logan said with a snicker.

"Thanks for rubbing it in!" Duncan said. He glanced at Veronica. "Are you coming by tomorrow so Lily can pose for you, too?"

"Yes. Sorry I didn't have the energy to hang out and do it tonight," Veronica said.

"Oh, you had the energy. Just not for that," Duncan said with a knowing smirk at Logan.

"Try not to die of jealousy," Logan said, walking him to the door.

"I'll do my best," Duncan said dryly as he waved good-bye.

After he left, Veronica went into her room and began unpacking. Logan stood in the doorway and watched her for a bit. She chatted about their weekend as she unpacked.

"We totally have to take another trip to Chicago! You would love the Art Institute. Jason's mom got us tickets to see _Wicked_. It was so amazing! It totally changes _The Wizard of Oz_ forever," Veronica shared.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Logan asked.

"It's told from the Wicked Witch's point of view. She was totally misunderstood!" Veronica exclaimed.

Logan laughed at her enthusiasm. "So the bad gal didn't finish last for a change? I'll love it," he agreed.

When she finished putting things away, Logan walked to the bed and kicked off his shoes. "So it looks like we're actually going to pull this thing off, huh?"

Veronica flopped down next to him. "We are. Our wedding's going to be great! Do you have the honeymoon details worked out?" she asked.

"There's lots of honeymoon choices. I think Maui will be less crowded. We can take a ferry over to Honolulu and explore one day if we want. The Four Seasons has a resort there. Marriott Resort and Spa, I think, would also be great," Logan said.

"You're the expert on opulence, so you decide. I'll be happy with anything. You know that," she said. She leaned her head on his shoulders. He put his arm around her.

"I missed you," she said softly.

He threw them backward on the bed and turned on his side. "Show me how much!" he ordered. He kissed her.

She let him have his kiss but soon broke it off. "Hey, none of that! Not until you tell me about your talk with Charlie," Veronica said, sitting up.

Logan sat up and smiled. "It went really well. He's married and has a two year old daughter," Logan said.

"Really? So you're an uncle again!" she said happily. "Did he show you a picture? I want to see!"

"He showed me on his phone, but he didn't send me one. I will text him and tell him you want to see a picture," Logan said, smiling at her.

"So he's handsome? Tell me more," she ordered.

"Well, he said he was twenty-eight. He teaches English. He surfs. And his smile is exactly like dear old dad's," Logan said with a grimace.

"Really?" Veronica said. "That's unfortunate."

"Yeah, it was strange at first. His eyes are Dad's and his smile. The difference is there's no cruelty in his eyes," Logan said. "It was refreshing after I got used to it."

"I bet. I can't wait to meet him," Veronica said. "That is if I'm going to meet him? Did you invite him to the wedding?"

"Yes. And he invited us to dinner at his place. He lives in Oceanside," Logan supplied.

"That's not too far. About an hour, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, about that," he said. "We agreed on the twenty-third because they're going to his wife's family the next day."

"He has no other family?" she asked.

"He has some stepsiblings he's not close to," Logan said.

Veronica grinned. "So you have a brother?" she said, reading between the lines.

Logan smiled. "I guess I do," he said. He shared more about their first meeting.

"Do you think Dick will be jealous?" Veronica asked.

"He's not really made that way. He'll probably just adopt Charlie," Logan said.

Veronica laughed. "You better warn Charlie!"

"Maybe I should plan a surfing outing and invite Dick and Charlie," Logan suggested.

"That's a good idea. Is he out for school yet?" she asked.

"Yes. I've never went surfing in Oceanside before, so I'll see about surfing there rather than have him come here," Logan said.

"So call him and make some plans," Veronica said, happy that things went well with his brother.

******_December 23__rd__, Chicago******_

Eli was both nervous and excited to see Jazmin again. They'd been talking on the phone a lot the past week. The calls were never overly long, but it was good to hear her voice. However, it wasn't the same thing. It was going to be a long time before he was going to relax where she was concerned. Her near death experience still gave him nightmares.

He went down to baggage claim and heard a voice call his name.

"Eli!"

He turned and saw the twins waiting by the American Airlines' baggage claims. He waved and quickened his step. Jazmin ran to him and wrapped him in a tight hug. Eli closed his eyes a moment, savoring the feel of her in his arms again. He pulled back and looked at her. She'd gained back some of the weight she'd lost.

Smiling happily, she said, "I am so glad you're here!" She gave him a quick kiss on the lips but pulled back before it turned into more.

Jason made it to them. He and Jason exchanged fist bumps. "How was the flight?"

"Annoying. I sat next to one of those women that had to tell me her life story. I tried to look menacing and ignore her, but it didn't work," he complained.

"You're not scary," Jazmin said, smiling fondly at him.

"I used to be," he said with a sigh of resignation.

Jason laughed. "I think you can be scary when you want to be so relax. Let's get your bag and head to the house," Jason said.

"Was your grandmother upset you were going to be gone for Christmas?" Jazmin asked after he grabbed his bag, and they headed upstairs.

"Nah. She complained, but she understood. I had to promise that next Christmas you would spend it with us," Eli said.

Jazmin was glad that he planned on them being together a year from now. Her pleasure gave her a happy glow. She squeezed his hand. "That would be lovely. I have an entire year to get Dad to relax his vigilance," she said.

"Good luck with that," Jason said.

"How did the dress shopping go? I haven't seen Veronica since the shopping trip," Eli said.

"It was great! I love my dress! I got a new one for dinner tomorrow, too," Jazmin said.

"I hope you brought something besides jeans and t-shirts," Jason said to him.

"Yeah, I brought my Sunday clothes. Relax," Eli said.

"So Uncle Nico got here a few days ago. He said you guys decided he would return and open back up the twenty-sixth, so you can stay until we head back for the wedding on the twenty-eighth, right?" Jason asked. "We have to find a new place to leave before the fifth of January. The owners want their house back."

"Yeah, since Nico got here a few days ago, and I held down the fort back home, we figured closing three days wouldn't be too big of deal. We left a sign with our numbers if someone needs to reach us," Eli said. "I know a place you two will like that Logan reminded me of. I called and they have some vacancies. It's a nicely secure apartment complex."

"Sounds good. It'll have less space, but we'll deal. Since we're going to have to buy furniture, it's probably good that it's smaller," Jason said.

"How's business?" Jazmin asked.

"It's been going well. Nico said we should finish the year in the black. There's a lot of suspicious spouses in Neptune. Vinnie Van Lowe is our only competition. He doesn't like to take the smaller cases, so we stay pretty busy with the small stuff. It's enough to pay the bills," Eli said.

"That's good. I don't want you guys taking on dangerous clients anyway," Jazmin said.

"It'll happen eventually maybe, but right now I'm fine with the small stuff. We're still learning," Eli said.

"I talked to my old adviser at Northwestern. He said being a licensed investigator will be an advantage when I apply for jobs after law school," Jason said.

"Aren't you just going to work for your dad? Keep him out of jail," Eli said with a smirk.

"That's what he thinks," Jason said, grinning. "But I should get real experience on my own first. Maybe with the D.A.'s office. That would be a good relationship to foster."

"That's my brother. Always planning too far ahead," Jazmin said fondly.

They climbed into the car that was waiting for them outside O'Hare. Jason got up front, so his sister and Eli had the backseat to themselves.

"How are you doing really?" Eli asked her, looking at her closely.

"Very well. The clinic I was at was really good for me. I'm going to go to therapy twice a week when I'm in town here. Then try and do the same back in Neptune. Wallace already emailed the information on that therapist he likes, Dr. Addison. I have my first appointment with him January 4th," Jazmin shared.

Eli put his arm around her shoulder. "Good. I'm glad. I want you to take care of yourself," he said.

She put her head against his shoulder as they drove back to her house. It was so good to have him back by her side.

******_Oceanside, California******_

Veronica insisted on carrying the bottle of wine they'd brought to dinner at Charlie's. She was nervous. It'd been a long time since she'd felt this way.

Logan could sense her discomfort. He put his arm around her shoulders. "Relax. He's going to love you," Logan said.

"This is important. If his wife doesn't like me, we'll never see them," Veronica said. She was more concerned about his wife than him. A certain type of girl never liked her. Logan had wanted more family for a long time, and she didn't want to be the reason once again that he didn't get it.

Charlie and his family lived on a quiet street in a modest two story home. There appeared to be a fenced in backyard that went around the back side of the house.

Logan ran the doorbell. Charlie opened the door, smiling at them. "Welcome. Glad you could make it," he said, extending his hand to Logan.

Logan shook it and introduced Veronica. "This is my fiancee, Veronica Mars."

"It's great to meet you," Charlie said warmly.

Veronica had to blink before responding. Logan hadn't exaggerated. The man had Aaron's eyes and smile. It was disconcerting. "Oh, ah, I'm glad to finally meet you," Veronica said.

"Forgive her. I tried to warn her about your resemblance to our father, but I think it still caught her off guard," Logan said.

"I'm sorry. It's a bit disconcerting, but it's obvious you are not Aaron," Veronica said, forcing a smile. It would take some getting use to.

"Oh, yeah? I've never known anyone but my mother who knew him personally," Charlie said.

"You weren't missing anything," Veronica said grimly.

A petite Asian woman came into the room. "Hi," she said shyly.

Charlie smiled at her. "Kim. Come meet Logan and Veronica," he said.

"Merry Christmas," Veronica said. "We brought some wine." She held out the bottle.

"Great!" Charlie said. He looked at it. "It's clearly better than what we already have, so we'll drink it with dinner."

"That was kind of you," Kim said.

"Where's your daughter?" Veronica asked. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Well, my mom lives an hour northeast of here and really wanted to have extra time with for the holidays. She came and got her yesterday," Kim said.

"Oh," Veronica said, her disappointment evident.

"We have lots of pictures though," Kim said with a smile. She took Veronica into the living room to show of the many photos scattered throughout the house.

"You and your wife will have to come down to Neptune and bring your daughter. We'll get our goddaughter to join us, so she can have a playmate. Lily is a very precocious three. She'll be four in another week, though," Logan said.

"We'd like that. Maybe after you get back from your honeymoon," Charlie said.

"So how did you and your wife meet?" Logan asked.

"She's half Korean. She was spending time in South Korea when I was spending a summer there teaching English," Charlie supplied.

"She's very beautiful," Logan said. Her eyes weren't clearly Asian in their shape, but her bone structure was.

"I think so," Charlie said with a grin. "Veronica's not too shabby either."

Logan laughed. His new found brother was easy to be with. As he watched Veronica converse easily with his wife, he knew that the dinner would be a success.

******_Christmas Eve******_

Dick woke up early on Christmas Eve. He looked down at the woman in his bed and sighed in contentment. He wished she'd spend every night with him. He could never seem to get enough of her. It was funny how back in high school he never noticed her before. She wasn't even a blip on his radar until she started dating his brother. Then he'd always wanted to spoil her time with Cassidy for some reason. He never understood that some part of him was noticing her in a way that he shouldn't. She was his brother's girl. Now, however, he knew she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He got up and hopped in the shower, letting her sleep. Then he went into the kitchen to cook her breakfast.

Wallace came in. "Is that bacon I smell?" he asked sniffing.

"You could call it bacon. It's that fake bacon that vegetarians eat. Mac likes it. I'm cooking her breakfast," Dick said.

"Are you going to hook a brother up?" Wallace asked beseechingly.

Dick laughed. "Sure. I'll scramble plenty of eggs. You can make the toast," Dick said.

Mac came in a short time later. "Wow, something smells good!" she said, smiling at the sight of Dick dividing the food onto three plates.

"Merry Christmas Eve!" Dick said. He bent down to kiss her good morning.

"Hey, this tofu bacon is really good or whatever it is," Wallace said, munching on a piece.

"A vegetarian diet is a healthy lifestyle choice," Mac said. "Everything doesn't have to taste bad to be good for you."

"Sorry babe, but some of that crap you eat is really nasty!" Dick said with a grin.

Wallace snickered. Mac shrugged, unoffended. "Yeah, some is an acquired taste," she agreed. She turned to Wallace. "What are you Christmas plans?"

"I'm going to stay on night at Mom's tonight and open gifts with them," Wallace said. "Are you guys coming over to Mom's dinner tomorrow?"

"I am," Dick said. "Mac's going to her grandparents."

"I wish you'd go with me," Mac said.

"And miss little Richie's first Christmas?" he asked as if scandalized by the thought.

Mac smiled. "He's not even six months yet. He won't remember. Nor can he open gifts yet," Mac said.

"It don't matter. I'll remember it," Dick said. "Besides, I agreed to go to your Sinclair dinner tonight. That counts as double family points."

"They're not too bad," Mac said.

"Says the girl who doesn't have impure memories of their daughter," Dick said with a grimace.

"Do you think you should be reminding her of that fact?" Wallace asked, looking at Mac to see if she was mad.

"Why would it matter? She wasn't a virgin when we got together. I don't force her to have dinners with her ex all the time," Dick said.

"Force?" Mac asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dick realized what he said and flashed her a repentant look. "Sorry. You know what I mean! I love spending time with you doing just about anything, but seeing Maddie at Christmas is not the way to spread Christmas cheer."

"She's been right down pleasant lately. The car Logan bought her has went a long way to mellowing her out. Not to mention she passed all her classes with a C and got back her credit cards," Mac said.

"Thanks to you!" Dick said.

"It wasn't too bad," Mac said.

"She better be getting you something extra nice for all your effort," Wallace said.

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you," Dick said.

"Don't worry, I'm not," Mac said.

After they finished breakfast, Wallace volunteered to clean up since Dick had cooked.

"Mackie, I wanna give you your Christmas gift now," Dick said eagerly.

Mac smiled. She was surprised he hadn't given it to her as soon as she opened her eyes. He wasn't very patient when it came to gift giving. "Okay," she said.

They went into his bedroom. He went to his dresser and pulled out a red envelope. "So this gift should be considered a Christmas and birthday gift both," he said, knowing she might quibble over the price.

Mac expected it to be an overpriced gift certificate to one of her favorite stores. However, when she opened the envelope she saw it was two tickets to the Caribbean. "Dick?" she asked in surprise.

"I want us to take a trip together after the wedding. Logan and Veronica are going on a honeymoon. They spent an entire month together last summer. You and I haven't went anywhere but Vegas together. But that was with everyone else and technically we were broken up, and it doesn't count," he said.

Mac blinked, a bit dazed. "You want us to spend a week in the Caribbean? Seriously?" she asked.

"I got us a great place to stay. It's a cabana like hut right by the water. More private than a big resort or hotel. You can fish right off the dock or sun bathe. It's going to be so great! I know you've never been to many places except for Europe. I was thinking maybe Mexico, but that's so close it didn't seem special enough for a Christmas gift," Dick said.

Mac smiled widely. "I think a trip together will be wonderful! Thank you!" she said. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. She was excited. "I've never been anywhere special until last summer when we went to Italy. I've been to just about every state park in the country and Vegas, but no romantic islands."

Dick grinned, pleased with her enthusiasm. "It'll be sweet!" he said. "You can thank me now."

"I just did," she said laughing up at him.

"With words. Now you can thank me in another way," he said with a leer. Then he put his mouth to her neck, making his intentions known.

Mac giggled. She got up and placed the tickets on his dresser. Then she turned back to him and pulled off her shirt. "I suppose if I must," she said, giving him a dimpled grin.

"You totally must!" he exclaimed. He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her on top of him.

She smiled radiantly down at him. His hand brushed her hair back from her face. "I love you so much," he said as he gazed at her. "I hope you get that. Being with you is the best part of my day. And the days I don't get to see you just don't feel right at all."

Mac was deeply moved by his honesty and his heartfelt words. She put her hand to his right cheek. "I feel the same way. I never knew I could love you so much," she said softly. Then she kissed him.

*******_At the Beach House********_

Logan and Veronica were on their bedroom floor after dinner wrapping Christmas presents for Richie.

"I think we might've overdid it," Logan said, looking at the pile of gifts that took up most of the space on the floor.

"Well, we agreed not to buy each other gifts since we have the wedding in a week, and it's his first Christmas. I love buying him stuff!" she said eagerly.

"Yes, but did he need all the clothes you bought?" Logan asked with a grin.

"Hey, he's a growing boy! I bought him size six to nine months. He's going to start out growing all the clothes he has now and need more. Now he has more!" she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "You're the one who bought him every gift marketed for under one on the market."

"My only nephew deserves the best! Dick will be over in the morning to open gifts with us. He's very excited. He even bailed on Mac's family Christmas," Logan shared.

"Yeah, Mac told me. If her grandmother wasn't in such declining health, she'd probably bail, too," Veronica said. "It's the only grandmother she has left."

"At least she has one," Logan said.

"Well, some day when we have our own baby, he or she will have two grandmothers," Veronica said, happily.

"So I was thinking that we should invite Charlie and Kim over for dinner the Saturday or Sunday before our classes start. What do you think? They can bring their daughter for us to meet," Logan said.

"Sure! Dinner was great with them yesterday. I really liked his wife. She was down to earth and had a dry sense of humor," Veronica said.

"Yeah. I liked her, too. It's obvious Charlie is a happy man. He doesn't seem to have many of the scars or baggage I have. Dick and I are going to go up to Oceanside the morning of the bachelor party and surf with Charlie. He'll come back with us for the wild night Dick has planned," Logan shared.

"You have that planned for the 29th, right? I don't want everyone hungover the day of our wedding, especially since our wedding is at night and requires everyone to stay up to ring in the new year," Veronica said.

"Yes, Dick convinced Duncan to take his family plane to Vegas for a night of debauchery," Logan said.

"Don't think he's going to convince me to go along with that! I have too many details to focus on before the wedding," Veronica said. "My bachelorette party will be in this area! Luckily, I have Dick's better half planning it!"

"I think he'll be okay with that. Jason and Jazmin are arriving the twenty-eighth. The owner of the house Jason had been renting wants to come home. Jason is going to rent a two bedroom apartment at the one gated complex in Neptune. He thinks Jazmin will feel more secure in an apartment with only one entrance and not so easy access. They have a lot of shopping and moving to do before school starts. We also have to move Weevil into Dick's pool house." Logan said. "I still can't believe Weevil is moving in with Dick!"

"Well, Grandma Lettie told him he'd be an idiot not to take advantage of the money saved," Veronica said with a grin. She got to her feet. "That's the last of them. Why don't you start taking them into the living room and putting them under the tree?"

"No problem," Logan said. He grabbed several stacked gifts and stood up.

When he left, Veronica quickly went to the closet and pulled out a Victoria Secret shopping bag she had crammed into the corner. Then she raced to the bathroom.

"Where did you go?" Logan asked a minute later as he bent down to grab more of the wrapped gifts.

"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be right out!" she yelled.

When Logan returned again, she was still in there. He shook his head and made another trip to the living room with the gifts. As he came back into the bedroom, he glanced toward the bathroom door. "Are you okay in there?" he asked.

The door opened and his mouth fell open in surprise. Veronica struck a pose in the bathroom doorway wearing a very sexy red lingerie with a Santa hat on her head. "I know we said no Christmas gifts, but I thought this would be a fun compromise."

"_You_ said no gifts. I decided not to upset my fiancee a week before our wedding!" Logan said. "But hey, I love your thinking!" He got out his cell phone and snapped a picture.

"You better not send that to anyone!" she said.

"It's the image I'm going to take with me to Vegas when we spend a night apart!" he said with a grin.

She walked toward him. "So are you ready to unwrap your gift?" she asked coyly.

"Oh, yeah!" he said eagerly. He pulled her close and began kissing her.

******_Christmas Morning*******_

Logan, Veronica, and Dick were all sitting on the living floor with Trina, who held Richie in front of her between her legs. Trina's mother Mary was sitting on the chair watching happily. He was much more interested in chewing on the wrapping paper than any of the dozens of gifts that were opened on is behalf. Trina, though, was enjoying unwrapping all his gifts.

"What am I going to do with all this?" Trina groaned when all his gifts were opened.

"Hey! Little dude can never have too many cool toys!" Dick said.

"We're going to have turn Dick's old room into his room, I think," Veronica suggested. "When we get back from our honeymoon, we can pick out how we want to decorate it for him."

"Good idea!" Trina said eagerly.

"Now it's time for you to open your gift," Veronica said.

"Really?" Trina said with a bright smile. She turned to Mary and handed off Richie. Veronica handed her a wrapped box that wasn't too big. She shook it. "It's too light for jewelry."

"Nope. Not jewelry," Logan said with a grin.

Trina pulled the ribbon and opened the box. "A plane ticket to New York?"

"It's dated for when we get back from our honeymoon," Veronica said.

"Two Broadway tickets? Three nights at the Four Season? Wow! This is great!" Trina said. She got up and moved to hug Logan. "Thanks!"

"Thank Veronica. I was going to get you jewelry. She suggested something you might like more," Logan said with a smile.

"Thanks, Veronica!" Trina said, hugging her.

"I thought you might like to invite that nice, stable man you met for a night on the town," Veronica said with a sly grin.

"Totally!" she exclaimed.

"You paid to get your sister laid?" Dick asked with a snicker. "That's just wrong!"

Veronica elbowed him. "That's not it at all!" she said, glaring at him. "She deserves a fun weekend! We're going to be gone on our honeymoon for a week. You and Mac are going on a trip, too. A long weekend will be good for her."

"We'll watch Richie, of course!" Logan said.

"So this is a bribe to get my kid to yourself for three days, isn't it?" Trina asked with a grin.

"Totally!" Logan agreed.

"Let's put together the train set I got him!" Dick said eagerly.

"I can't believe you got him a train set! What's he going to do with it?" Trina asked.

"Watch it go round and round! He'll love it!" Dick said.

"Why don't we put it together in your old room, so we won't have to move it?" Logan suggested.

"Good idea!" Dick said, jumping to his feet.

******_Chicago******_

Eli and Jazmin walked downstairs Christmas morning. The past few days they'd had a great time reconnecting. The only mar in their time together was her brother Jason. Jazmin couldn't help but notice that her brother seemed to have very little Christmas cheer.

"Jason seems really sad. He won't talk to me. He just tells me to not worry about him," Jazmin said in frustration. "What's going on?"

"When Daisy came into town last weekend, she did a number on him. He said that he thought they'd had a moment, but at the Christmas party she made a point of flirting with Joseph right in front of him," Eli said.

"Yeah, I noticed. I didn't really appreciate it either, but she's just trying to punish him. I'm sure she'll get tired of making him suffer and forgive him. She loves him," Jazmin said.

"Well, I'm not so sure. You never witnessed Veronica's many dumpings of Logan. She dated two guys and was pretty serious about both of them, Duncan especially," Eli reminded her.

"You think Daisy would seriously be with another guy?" Jazmin asked in concern.

"I don't think she'd sleep with Joseph. That'd be too far even for her," Eli said.

"Well, she's not likely to see him anyway. He won't be in Neptune," Jazmin said.

"Thank God for that," Eli said.

"You know he'll be here for dinner this afternoon," Jazmin warned him.

Eli looked sour at the news. "Seriously? I thought he was banned," Eli said.

"We sort of cleared the air last week. I've decided not to waste any energy hating him anymore," Jazmin shared.

"Is it okay if I still do?" Eli asked.

Jazmin smiled. "Of course!" she said. She hugged him. "I'm so glad you came."

"Me, too," he said. And he was. She seemed back to her old self. He'd kept the physical touching to a minimum, letting her do most of the initiating. He'd take her sweet kisses any way he could get them.

They walked into the dining room. Her parents and Jason were already there.

"Merry Christmas!" Jazmin said to the room.

"Merry Christmas! Did you two sleep well?" her mom asked.

"I did," Eli said, smiling at Isabella, Jazmin's mother. She wasn't as gregarious as Jazmin's father. Eli knew that Jazmin wasn't close to her mother, but she didn't seem that bad to him. She was much better than a few other mothers he could think of.

"Yeah, the meds I'm on put me right to sleep," Jazmin said. She sat down at the table. "I don't want to be on these pills long term. Just so you know. I plan to be off of them by spring break."

"You should do whatever your doctor tells you," her mom said.

"I had Nico check out that Dr. Addison in Neptune. He's got a good reputation. No lawsuits or illegal activity," her dad said.

"Good to know," Jazmin said, rolling her eyes.

"Eli, we usually have a big breakfast Christmas morning and don't serve lunch. The Christmas dinner is served at four, which is a bit early. However, that's how we've always done it," her mom told him.

"No, problem," Eli said accepting the plate of bacon and sausage that was passed around.

After they had breakfast, they went into the den where the Christmas tree stood. Eli was surprised when Sebastian gave him a small wrapped box. "Uh, thanks," he said. He opened the box and found a very nice pocket knife. His name was engraved on the back.

"Every man needs a good one of these. I gave Jason one when he turned fifteen," Sebastian said.

"It's great. Thanks!" Eli said, surprised at the gesture. He'd never gotten much except clothes from his dad. It'd been so long, though, that Eli never gave his lack of fatherly presence much thought.

"The scarf is lovely," Isabella said, holding it up to admire.

"My grandmother helped me pick it out," Eli admitted. His grandmother had said a scarf would be the perfect gift for Jazmin's mother. Personal without crossing the line.

"Did she pick out this hat, too?" Sebastian asked with a grin.

Eli felt embarrassed. He wasn't used to gift giving to people he didn't know that well. However, his grandmother had rightly insisted that he shop for Jazmin's parents. Since both had gifts for him, he was very glad he'd listened to her. "Yes, she suggested it might suit you," Eli admitted.

Sebastian chuckled. "I'm going to have to meet this grandmother of yours who has never met either of us, but she still managed to get it right!"

"She's great!" Jazmin said. "Eli's going to take back the gift I got her."

"What did you get her?" her mother asked.

"A new dress I know she'll love," Jazmin said. "She loves to dress up for church." She turned to Eli. "Did you get her the pearls I suggested?"

He nodded. Jason snickered. "It's good that you don't have to think of anything for yourself," Jason said.

"Hey, I picked out your gift on my own!" Eli said.

Jason looked down at the first edition Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's _The Sherlock Holmes Mysteries. _"I can't believe you got me this," Jason said in bemusement.

"I discovered this rare book store when I was out on the job a few weeks ago. Couldn't believe it when I saw this. I knew you'd like it," Eli said with a shrug. "Doyle played at being a P.I., too."

Sebastian chuckled. "Yes, playing is pretty much what he's doing. Enforcing the law or spying on cheating husbands isn't his future," he said.

"Hey, it's valuable experience," Jason said.

"I never said it wasn't," Sebastian said easily.

Jazmin couldn't quit looking at the beautiful tear drop diamond necklace Eli got her. "This is too much," she told him.

"Hey, I moved into Dick's pool house. I don't have to pay rent. I can afford to get you something nice," he told her. "Let me help you put it on."

Jazmin smiled and turned around, lifting her hair. He fastened it around her neck and admired it nestling between her breasts. "I knew it'd look great on you," he said.

Jazmin kissed him and pulled back.

Sebastian loved seeing his baby girl so happy and glanced in approval at his daughter's boyfriend. A man not too prideful to listen to his grandmother was a good man.

"Our turn!" Isabella said eagerly. She handed Jazmin a small box.

"If you don't like it, blame your mother. She picked it out," Sebastian said, reaching for his wife's hand with a fond smile.

"Mother has exquisite taste, so I'm sure it's perfect," Jazmin said, expecting a ring or something similar since the box was so small. She opened the box and pulled out a set of keys. "What's this?"

"Go outside and see," Jason said, smiling at her. He never understood why his parents got him a new car for for his eighteenth birthday and not his sister. They thought giving into her request to go to school in California was enough of a gift. The car she was driving in Neptune was a used Toyota Corolla that she bought with her own money. They hadn't wanted her to have that, but she'd ignored them. Their inconsistency was frustrating. It didn't bother him that they'd obviously spent more on her Christmas gift than his. A new laptop was what he wanted, so he was satisfied.

Jazmin took Eli's hand and walked toward the front door. She couldn't believe her parent's had actually bought her a new car. They seemed to forever want her to be dependent on her brother. The fact that they'd bought her a car was evidence that they'd finally begun to respect her as an adult. Her eyes widened in surprised pleasure as she saw a red Mini Cooper Roadster parked on the street in front of their house. It had a big bow on it, so she knew it was hers.

"Oh my God! It's so amazing! Thanks so much!" she squealed. She turned to hug her parents before going down the stairs to the car.

Eli followed her down, happy to see her finally in a good place. He hoped the future only held good things for her. He wanted to forget the recent ugliness focus on their future that he prayed would be as great as she deserved.

_******Chapter End******_

_Sorry I didn't include everyone in this Christmas chapter, but it seemed long enough. I only have one more chapter to go in this tale. _

_Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this latest update._


	40. Chapter 40

**I will not be wrapping up the storylines for Piz/Parker/Duncan or Jason/Daisy in this story. I will eventually write one more tale focusing on the spring semester and centering more around MaDi like "Ties That Bind" did. I am starting back to school/work, so I have no idea of a timeline for that one. I know I won't even begin writing it until I'm done with "Ricochet of LoVe". Maybe around Christmas break. So I don't want you to read the final two chapters and be frustrated if I don't wrap everything up in a tidy bow. I think I have one more Veronica Mars story in me.**

**I really thought this would be the last chapter. I HATE ending a story on an odd number like 41. However, I just can't do it. This chapter is over 8,000 words, and I'm still nowhere near finished!**

Chapter 40: Vengeance and a Party

******_December 28__th__*******_

Nico picked up Jason, Jazmin, and Eli at the airport.

"So where am I taking you?" he asked them.

"We've got a lot to accomplish today since we have the bachelor party in Vegas tomorrow," Jason said.

"I secured the apartment for you. You owe me $2000," Nico said.

"Thanks for doing that. I wanted to make sure we didn't have to waste time when we got back in town looking for a place," Jason said.

"It's a good place for college students," Nico said. "It's got a pool and a nice work-out facility on the premises. It's close to campus."

"That's good," Jason said.

"Does it have a washer and dryer in the apartment?" Jazmin asked.

"Yes. It's a good size apartment," Nico said.

"I thought it'd be perfect for you. It's gated, so only people with an access code can get on the property," Eli said. "There's cameras and a security guard."

"That's great," Jazmin said. "I'm sort of glad I don't have to spend a night in my old room."

Eli put his arm around her and hugged her.

"So we're heading into town. Which house first?" Nico asked.

"Well, drop me off at a U-Haul place," Jason said. "Things will go quicker today if we can just throw everything in a truck in one load."

"I'll go with you to your place and make sure that one of the girls are home. I don't want you anywhere by yourself," Eli said to Jazmin.

"Did David get arrested?" Jazmin asked.

"He did. But he was out on bond before Texas would transfer him to Neptune. He's got a court date after the new year. If he doesn't show up in Neptune on that date, he will face more charges," Nico explained.

"What are his charges?" Jazmin asked. She'd made a conscious choice not to ask about David. She hadn't been ready to handle even think about it. Now, though, she wanted it to be over. She wanted David to be in her past not her future.

"You waited too long to report the rape, but since he did go back and physically assault you again, the D.A. is going to charge him with assault and sexual battery," Nico said.

"Really? I thought the rape charge wasn't going to stick?" Jazmin asked.

"Well, Keith went to bat for you and one of your neighbors did identify him as being in front of your house the afternoon of the attack," Nico said. "He also admitted to some football players that you'd had sex. The physical abuse adds weight to the rape charge, so he'll be held accountable."

"That's good news," Jazmin said in relief.

"We need to take her by the court house to file a restraining order," Jason suggested.

"He's not in town now, so I guess it's okay if we get through the next two days. We can do it Monday, the day before the wedding. The court houses are only closed on New Years," Eli said.

Nico pulled up at the U-Haul place.

"I'll pick you up as soon as I get the truck. We'll head over to our place and start moving stuff," Jason said to Jason.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Jazmin asked. "We don't even have keys to the new apartment."

"I got'em," Nico said. "I have the lease in my name but the two of you as the tenants. You need to go by the office, so they can get your photo I.D. on file." He reached into his console and pulled out two keys and gave them to Jason."

"I'll make a copy for you and Eli," Jason said. "It's good for you to have access in case of an emergency."

Jason got out, and then Nico drove Eli and Jason to her house-Mac, Parker, and Daisy's house now.

Mac was drinking coffee in the kitchen when they entered. She got up to greet them.

"It's so good to see you!" she said to Jazmin, hugging her. "How are you?"

"I'm doing great. How was your Christmas?" she asked.

"It was good. My parents got into it with the Sinclairs over their desire to pay for the last year and a half of school, so I suggested they pay for graduate school," Mac said.

"Madison behave?" Eli asked.

"Yeah. She even bought me a Christmas gift since her parents returned her credit cards," Mac said. She pointed to the diamond earrings on her ears.

"Wow? Diamonds? She must be really grateful," Jazmin observed.

"And got her credit cards back!" Eli added with a knowing smirk.

"I think she's trying to score points with our parents, but it was nice anyway. She got my mom a pair just like them," Mac said.

"There must've been a buy one get one free sale," Eli said with a snicker.

"You may be right about that!" Mac said, grinning.

"Jason went to get a U-Haul truck. Nico got an apartment for us," Jazmin said.

"Are you sticking around?" Eli asked Mac.

"Well, I need to go into work for a bit. I haven't went all week and can't next week," Mac said. "Daisy should be here soon. She called me when she made it into town. She was stopping at the store for a few things."

"Where's Parker? Is she back in town yet?" Jazmin asked.

"She's coming in tomorrow. She and Piz will drive up for the rehearsal dinner. He's coming in tomorrow night, I think," Mac said. "I hate that you're moving out, but I get why."

"Did you get anything great for Christmas?" Jazmin asked her.

Mac's smile grew as she shared, "Dick got us tickets for the Caribbean after the New Year."

"That'll be amazing!" Jazmin shared. "My parents got me a new car. Dad is making Michael drive it down instead of flying in for the wedding. Michael is coming as Dad's plus one. Mother can't make it."

"What are you going to do with your Toyota?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. Sell it?" she replied with a shrug.

"My brother Ryan could use a good used car. He just got his license," Mac said.

"Hey, that'll work great. Whatever he can afford. The car is his," Jazmin said.

"What kind of car did you get?" Mac asked.

"You're going to love it!" Jazmin said. She pulled out her cell phone and showed Mac the picture she'd taken. Mac agreed that it was beautiful.

"Does Daisy know we're taking Jazmin's bedroom furniture?" Eli asked.

"Yes. Her stepbrother Chip is bringing her furniture tomorrow," Mac said. "She'll stay in Parker's room tonight probably."

"Well, I guess we'll get started. Eli, you can take my car and get some boxes," Jazmin said.

"Not necessary. I brought lots of boxes for you. I have some in the garage for Jason and Eli and left the rest upstairs in your room," Mac said.

"Great! Thanks!" Jazmin said.

Daisy arrived carrying a bag in each hand. "I'm here!"

"Need a hand?" Eli asked.

"There's some stuff in the car you can grab if you want," Daisy said with a smile.

Eli nodded and headed out.

"It'll probably be easier if you don't move the rest of your things upstairs until Jazmin gets her stuff out," Mac suggested.

Daisy nodded and put her bags in a corner out of the way. "Hey, Jazmin. How was your holiday?" she asked politely.

"Really wonderful. How about yours?" Jazmin asked.

"It was good," Daisy said. She didn't see Jason but figured he'd be there soon enough. Seeing him in Chicago had been hard. The sneaky devil had caught her at a weak moment. If she wasn't careful at the wedding, he'd manage it again.

"Jason went to get a moving truck. He should be here soon," Jazmin said, reading her mind. She bit her lips to keep from commenting about Daisy's treatment of her brother. Since she was indirectly responsible for their break-up, she didn't think any words from her would make things better.

Eli came in with a big box. "How did you get this in the car? It was a bitch to get out!" he complained.

Daisy grinned. "Well, I put the box in first and then started throwing stuff in it!" she admitted.

"Where should I put it?" he asked.

Daisy pointed to the corner. "Thanks. I got more stuff in the trunk that goes in the kitchen," she said.

Eli nodded and went back outside. "Sorry, I've got to go. With the holiday and wedding stuff, I've neglected work," Mac said. "Call me if you need anything."

"We'll be fine. Don't worry," Jazmin said.

Eli came back in and took a box of stuff to the kitchen. "Jason's here, so we're going to load up his stuff from the house and take it to the apartment. Will you be okay here?" Eli asked, not really wanting to leave her.

"We'll be fine," Jazmin said. "I'll move down what I can. I should be able to take the bed apart."

"Don't try moving anything heavy," Eli said. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

"Don't forget the boxes in the garage!" Jazmin called out. He nodded and waved goodbye.

"Is there more stuff in your car?" Jazmin asked Daisy. She nodded, so they went out to her car. Jason waved at them but didn't approach as he opened up the back of the U-Haul truck for Eli to put the boxes in.

When they carried the rest of Daisy's stuff into the living room, Daisy sat down in a chair afterward. "I got up too early. I'm already tired," she said with a yawn.

"I think Mac made some coffee," Jazmin said. The girls went into the kitchen.

Daisy poured herself some coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. "I'm so glad to be out of the dorms," she said.

"I didn't mind the dorms really. It was like basketball camp. Girls everywhere," Jazmin said smiling.

"So how are you doing? Really?" Daisy asked curiously.

"Much better," Jazmin assured her. When Daisy looked at her doubtfully, she added, " Seriously. I'm doing great."

Daisy looked at her quizzically as she sipped her coffee. Then she put it down. "Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Sure," Jazmin replied.

"Why'd you do it? Did you really want to end your life?" Daisy asked.

Jazmin knew what she was referring to. She looked away, trying to figure out how to answer. Finally, she said, "I didn't want to die. I just wanted the nightmare to be over. I was trapped. I couldn't sleep, so I took a sleeping pill. Then suddenly I had swallowed the entire bottle. It was kind of like I was in a fog. But I never thought to myself that I wanted to die. I was just so tired of hurting."

Daisy nodded but didn't say anything. Jazmin decided to ask a question of her own. "Are you going to forgive my brother?"

Daisy was taken off guard by the her question. She shrugged. "I'm too selfish to be with your brother. I want to be the most important person in his life, but I don't think I ever will be," Daisy said.

Jazmin got angry at her reply. "I don't think you really love my brother at all. You can't possibly or you wouldn't expect him to cut me out of his life," Jazmin said angrily. "You might as well ask him to cut off his arm or leg. I'm a part of him, and he's a part of me. Eli would never expect me to put Jason on a back burner!"

Daisy got up and protested. "That's not what I meant!" she exclaimed. The two began to argue loudly. Neither heard glass breaking in another part of the house.

David had driven to Neptune the day after Christmas. He lost his scholarship, but he still had a few friends that believed in his innocence. They'd kept him updated on what was going on with Jazmin and her friends. He knew that she was going to be back in town for Logan and Veronica's wedding. So he'd grown out his hair and quit shaving. The past two days he'd been driving by Jazmin's house. So far only Mac had been home. But today was different. Today he saw Jazmin get dropped off with her beaner boyfriend. He parked his car across the street a few houses down, keeping a baseball cap pulled low on his head.

He watched Mac leave. Then Jason came and took Eli away after Daisy appeared. David waited impatiently for Daisy to leave. He text one of his friends that knew her and found out Daisy was moving into the house in Jazmin's place. Looks like the princess didn't feel safe there anymore. He snickered. Like she was safe anywhere. She led him on, teasing him. Then when he finally gave her what he knew she wanted, she acted like he was a monster. She made him a laughing stock. She was trying to ruin his life.

He got out of his car and walked toward the house. The two girls were in the living room talking. They were oblivious to his presence. When they walked toward the kitchen, he went to the side of the house away from the kitchen where the laundry room was. He took a chance and broke the window. He carefully crawled through. His arm sliced open on the window, and he cursed. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his arm.

David cautiously walked closer to the living room. He heard loud voices in the kitchen. It looked like the girls weren't getting along. He quickly moved back into the laundry room as he heard Daisy's voice yell, "I'm going for a walk! Arguing over your stupid brother is getting us nowhere!"

David grinned as he heard the front door slam. Then he heard the steps creak as Jazmin went upstairs. He went over to the front door and locked it, putting the chain on for good measure. Then he pulled out his knife from the holder he had strapped to his leg. Grinning eagerly, he slowly walked up the steps.

Jazmin was in the bedroom trying to calm down. Daisy was so maddening. She didn't really get why her brother loved the woman so much, but he did. Jazmin wanted her brother to be happy. He was the best brother ever. She opened the closet door to pull out the rest of the clothes she'd left in there. When she turned around, her arms were full of clothes. Her eyes locked in on an intruder; one she didn't recognize at first. When the man's identity registered, she gasped and dropped her clothes. He'd grown out his hair and wore a beard and cap, but she knew it was David. She'd never forget his face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her mind racing. Where did she put her purse? She had to get to it. Her eyes latched onto the dresser, which seemed too far way. It was by the door where David was standing.

He grinned at her and slammed the bedroom door behind him. "I knew if I waited, I'd catch you alone. Don't worry. I won't take long. This time you won't be alive to go telling any tales," he said as he lunged for her. She grabbed the lamp and threw it at him. She screamed loudly, hoping Daisy was nearby and would call the cops.

Jazmin thought a moment about running to the bathroom, but then she'd be trapped. If he broke down the door, she'd be defenseless. She kept grabbing everything she could and throwing it at him. He ducked and dodged. A few things hit him, but it didn't seem to slow him down. When he charged her, she jumped on her bed, trying to get to the other side. He managed to grab her foot, causing her to fall on it. She kicked him in the head, enraging him. Then she quickly jumped back up to the other side of it away from him.

"You bitch! I was going to make it quick, but now I'm thinking you deserve more pain!" David said enraged.

Jazmin ran to the dresser to her purse. The gun. She had to get it. A searing pain in her left shoulder made her scream. He'd stabbed her with his knife. If she didn't get the gun out, he'd kill her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to ignore the pain, tears streaming down her face. Finally, her shaking hands wrapped around the cold metal, and she turned to face him. He had the now bloody knife raised to strike at her again. His eyes widened as he saw the gun. She stepped away as she pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened. David laughed. "Nice try. You shouldn't have a gun if you don't know how to use it," he said.

Jazmin looked down and popped the safety off. "I _do_ know how to use it," she said, a calm descending on her. She pulled the trigger, watching the bullet plow through his chest. He looked stunned as she pulled the trigger again and again until he fell to the ground. Jazmin moved slowly to the ground, her eyes frozen on his still form, unable to believe he was really dead.

Daisy had walked to the end of the block and back, trying to calm down. Jazmin was too fragile for Daisy to be losing her temper with. She turned to walk back to the house and check on her. Upsetting Jazmin would probably make everyone mad at her. A loud scream from the house had her running toward the house. Her phone was in her jean pocket, so she pulled it out and dialed 911.

She heard a loud crash and scream again. "I need the police. My friend is screaming inside the house," Daisy said urgently. She tried to open the front door. It was locked. Did Jazmin lock her out? Daisy didn't have her keys on her. The scream was heard again, upstairs. She gave the operator the address. Then she hung up and went around to the back door as she pressed the two on her speed dial.

"Jason, get to the house. Something's wrong. I'm locked out and Jazmin's screaming!" Daisy exclaimed. The back door was locked. "Damn it! I can't get in!" She heard gunshots. "Oh, God! There's gunshots coming from inside!"

"Don't go into the house!" Jason ordered. "Wait for the police! We're on our way."

Daisy walked around the house and saw the broken window. It must be how the intruder got in. She pulled off her sweater and placed it on the broken pane, so she wouldn't get cut. The police were pulling up as she climbed cautiously through the window. Hurrying, she ran to the front door and unlocked it.

"Are you hurt?" the deputy asked.

"No. I crawled in through the broken window. The door was locked. I'd only left for a few minutes. The door was unlocked when I left. Jazmin is here. I heard screams and gunshots from upstairs," Daisy said, pointing.

Another patrol car pulled up. Keith Mars and Deputy Leo got out. Daisy tried to follow the deputies upstairs, but they ordered her to go outside.

When Keith made it to Jazmin's room, he found his deputy kneeling down in front of her, trying to get her to release the gun. One side of her was covered in blood. Leo used his radio to call for an ambulance. Dispatch told him it was already on its way. He saw the body of a man on the floor.

"Jazmin, are you okay?" Keith asked her. He reached out and took the gun from her hand, handing it off to Sacks.

"She's not responding, sir. I think she's in shock," Deputy Sacks said.

"Jazmin!" a voice called out. Keith looked and saw Eli and Jason in the doorway with Daisy behind them, obviously ignoring his instructions to stay outside.

"Oh God! Is she okay?" Jason asked when he saw the dead body. He looked and saw his sister. The sight of her blood terrified her. "Jazmin! Are you okay?" She didn't respond.

"Get back! This is a crime scene!" Keith ordered, pushing him out of the room.

"Is she okay?" Eli asked. "Is that her blood?"

"Daisy, go downstairs and send up the paramedics when they get here. Jazmin needs medical attention," Keith said.

Jason and Eli stood in the hallway, trying to peer inside. "Is she okay?" Jason asked anxiously.

"She's bleeding from a knife wound," Sacks said. He was holding a shirt he found on the floor to her shoulder.

"Is that David?" Eli asked, pointing at the body.

Keith peered down at the body, grabbing the wallet out of his back pocket. "Yes, it is," he said after reading the license.

"How did he die?" Jason asked.

"It looks like your sister shot him," Keith answered. Jason and Eli exchanged stunned looks of disbelief.

The paramedics arrived and began taking care of Jazmin.

*****_Neptune Memorial Hospital*****_

Veronica, Logan, Mac, and Dick hurried into the ER waiting room, a place they all were too familiar with. They spotted Daisy, Jason, Eli, and Nico.

"What's happened? Is Jazmin okay?" Veronica asked.

"We don't know anything," Daisy said. "I think she's going to be okay."

"What the hell happened?" Logan asked.

"She was stabbed by that psycho David! He tried to kill her!" Eli said, his rage palatable.

"What?" Mac asked. She looked at Daisy. "Are you okay?"

"I wasn't exactly there," Daisy admitted.

"What do you mean? You were there when I left. You said you were going to be there," Mac said with a frown.

"Yeah, well, Daisy says a lot of things," Jason said bitterly.

Daisy glared at him. Then she turned back to her friends. "I was outside for like five minutes maybe. That's it! Jazmin and I had a disagreement over her stupid brother, so I went for a walk to cool off," Daisy said. "I just went to the end of the block and back. I heard screaming as I approached the house. I called 911. Then I called Jason. The front door was locked, so I went around and saw a broken window. He must have got in through there."

Duncan arrived. Keith Mars was with him.

"Keith got into the elevator with me. He told me that Jazmin shot David. How did she get a gun?" Duncan asked.

"That's what I want to know," Keith said, looking at Jason and Eli.

"How the hell would I know? I sure as hell didn't give her a gun!" Eli said angrily. "I don't even have a gun myself!"

"Neither do I," Jason said. He looked at Nico.

Nico shrugged. "She never got it from me. If she'd asked, I probably would've gotten one for her, but she didn't ask," Nico said.

"You'd give my sister a gun? Are you insane? She doesn't know anything about guns!" Jason yelled.

"Obviously, she knew enough to kill that psycho," Dick pointed out. "It's a good thing she had it, though. If not, she may have been stabbed to death."

They all looked at him without replying. Their silence indicated the sudden realization that he had a point. Then all eyes began turning to Veronica.

"Veronica?" Keith asked. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Well...," Veronica said slowly.

"Damn it, Veronica! What's wrong with you? You gave Jazmin a gun?" Eli asked angrily.

"Watch your tone!" Logan said, glaring at him.

"No! I didn't get her a gun! I don't carry a gun. I offered to get her a tazer," Veronica said defensively.

"That sounds like Ronnie," Dick said to Mac.

"So what do you know exactly?" Keith asked her.

"When we were in Chicago, I saw Joseph coming out of her room and thought he might be harassing her, so I went and checked on her," Veronica shared. "Then she admitted that Joseph had gotten her a gun."

"Joseph?" Jason asked. "He bought her a gun?"

"She was scared. She wanted to feel safe," Veronica explained. "She promised that she'd learn how to use it. Joseph was going to show her."

"Guess it worked. David's dead," Dick observed.

"She shot him with a gun she had illegally," Keith informed them.

"You're not going to charge her!" Jason protested.

"It's up to the D.A.," Keith said grimly.

"You better call your dad," Nico told Jason. He grimaced as he nodded and pulled out his phone.

"He won't make her stay home, will he?" Mac asked in concern.

"Let's make sure she's okay before we worry about anything else," Veronica said.

The doctor came in. "Jazmin is going to be fine. The knife went through the tendon in her left shoulder, but it should heal up with no problems. She got some stitches. She's right handed, so it shouldn't be hard for her to restrict her movement on that side," he told them.

"Can she go home?" Eli asked.

"Yes. I'm going to give the nurse some prescriptions for her to fill for pain and infection and how to care for the wound. Then she's free to go," the doctor said. They thanked him before he left.

"I'm going to go sit with her," Eli said.

"I'll go with you," Veronica said, following him.

Jason came back into the waiting room. "Any news?" he asked.

"She's okay. They're processing her for release now. Eli and Veronica are getting her ready," Mac told him.

Duncan gave Jason an accusing glance. "So how exactly did this happen? Jazmin's back in town like an hour, and she's almost killed in her house, a place she was brutally assaulted in and almost died in the last time she was there, and now she's killed a guy! What the hell's going on?" Duncan asked.

Jason wanted to hit Duncan for saying all the things he was thinking. Once again he'd failed his sister. Hating himself, he just turned away from Duncan and walked out of the ER waiting room.

Daisy slapped Duncan on the arm. "What the hell was that? Can you be more of a jackass?" Daisy said, her eyes blazing in anger. "I was there, too! I left her alone. May as well blame me for it while you're at it!"

"Let's calm down!" Logan said, stepping up to them. "We're all upset. It's normal to want to play the blame game."

"This blows!" Dick exclaimed. "Now Jason and Eli won't want to go to the bachelor party!"

"Not important right now," Mac said.

"Cancel the Vegas plans, Dick," Logan said. "There's no way I can go off to Vegas after Jazmin was attacked again and killed a man. The wedding is in three days. She, Eli, and Jason need our support."

Dick looked crestfallen and started to protest but Mac shook her head. "Don't worry. We'll come up with something else," Mac said, her mind racing. She was the maid of honor. It was her responsibility to Mac sure Veronica's wedding went off without a hitch.

"We need to finish moving for Eli and Jason. They need to take care of Jazmin. We got to do this," Mac said to her friends.

"I'll tell Veronica to bring Jazmin to our house. She doesn't need to go back to that house and deal with anything," Logan said. "She and Eli can stay in Dick's old room."

"I'll go talk to Jason," Nico said, slipping out to find him.

"I'll call some movers. It'll make everything easier," Duncan said.

"They'll need to go to both places. Jason's and Jazmin's," Mac told him. Duncan nodded and pulled out his phone.

Daisy rolled her eyes. Duncan acts like an ass and thinks his money can make things all better. Now she remembered why she didn't want to date him when she first met him.

A short time later, Jazmin slowly appeared with Eli and Veronica flanking her. Her friends gathered around her in support.

She assured them that she was okay. "I'm okay. They gave me a shot of something. I don't feel much of anything right now," Jazmin said.

"Veronica, why don't you take Jazmin to your house? We're going to take care of the moving and stuff for her and Jason, so they don't have to worry about anything," Mac said.

"You and Jazmin can stay in our extra room," Logan offered to Eli.

"That's a good idea," Veronica agreed.

"Let's get her there then. I want her to rest," Eli said.

They all filed down to the elevators. Each of them determined to do what they could to help.

******_The Next Day******_

Eli didn't sleep much. Instead, he woke up every hour to check on Jazmin, who was having to sleep on her stomach. She'd awaken a few times, obviously troubled by bad dreams. He still couldn't believe what had happened yesterday. He never really considered that David would be insane enough to try to hurt Jazmin again. The man was basically only going to get a slap on the wrist for what he'd done to her. He could've stayed in Texas and gone on with his life. Even if he got convicted of more here in Neptune, Eli knew he wouldn't have gotten much jail time. He was white, and he had no prior crimes. He was basically home free if he'd stayed away. Instead, his insanity had actually compelled him to come back to Neptune. Although Eli was glad the man was dead, he didn't like the fact that Jazmin had been the one to kill him. He wouldn't want that for her. Then again, maybe it will make her feel safer knowing she was the one who saved herself this time.

He put his hand on her forehead to see if it was warm. The nurse had said to watch for infection. They'd given her a tetanus shot and antibiotics anyway. Eli had been glad that the man only had a chance to to stab her once, so the damage hadn't been extensive. Some stitches had manged to sew up the damage.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and Veronica poked her head in. "Hey, is she awake yet?"

"No," Eli said, sitting up.

"I'm making breakfast," Veronica said.

Eli nodded and she shut the door. Veronica was glad Jazmin had a chance to put the bastard down who hurt her. However, she wished Jazmin hadn't had to fire the gun or had gotten hurt. Veronica found death too easy. She'd much rather use her tazer to immobilize them and make sure they spent many years locked up like they deserved.

She went back in the kitchen to finish breakfast. Mac and Dick arrived shortly after Logan was up sipping coffee.

"I was thinking a small intimate gathering at Dick's instead of two separate parties would be better today," Mac said. "We can just call it a wedding shower. People can bring gifts. It'll keep you from having to transport so many gifts from the wedding."

"We don't need gifts. I put on the wedding invitations to donate to our favorite charity," Veronica said.

"People still will ignore it. Besides some of us got you fun things for the honeymoon," Mac said with a naughty grin.

"Those kinds of gifts she will most definitely accept!" Logan exclaimed with a smirk.

Eli appeared. "Good morning," he said to everyone.

"Is Jazmin awake?" Mac asked.

"No. She woke up in pain about four hours ago, so I gave her one of her pills. It knocks her out," Eli explained. "She should be up soon."

"We gotcha moved in," Dick said to him.

"Thanks," Eli said.

Dick handed him two keys. "This one is for the front door, and this one is for the pool house," Dick said.

"I don't need a key to your front door," Eli said with a frown.

"Dude, you can come in anytime. You may want to wash your clothes sometimes," Dick reminded.

"So what's the plan for today?" Logan asked.

"We should just have a cook-out and drinks at Dick's. The ladies can have the inside for the bridal gifts while you guys stay outside," Mac said.

"Or we can watch you open up all your naughty gifts," Logan said with a smirk.

"That's fine, too," Mac said with a shrug. "How about we set it for seven? I'll call everyone and send out emails."

"I'll call Alicia. I know she'll want to help with the food," Veronica said.

"Aren't your parents paying for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow?" Mac reminded her.

"Yeah, but Alicia will still want to make something. Trust me. She loves making dishes we rave about," Veronica said.

"Did you get Lilly a birthday gift? Mac and I dropped ours off before we came," Mac said.

"Oh, crap! I need to do that! I have it in my room," Veronica said.

"I'll do that," Logan offered.

"Is Jazmin going to be okay?" Veronica asked Eli after everyone sat down to eat breakfast.

"I hope so," Eli said. "Jason, on the other hand, is pretty upset. His dad is coming today. I can't imagine it's going to go well for him."

Veronica frowned. "I was there the last time Sebastian laid into Jason at the hospital. He was awful to Jason. He even slapped him hard across the face," Veronica said.

"That wasn't much of a hit. Believe me," Logan said, thinking of his dad's so-called tough love. "But he did pile on the guilt."

"Well, let's look on the bright side," Dick said. "At least this hellish chapter is over for Jazmin. The New Year can only be better."

Veronica reached out and took Logan's hand and smiled. It was going to be a great year for all of them. She just knew it.

******_Later That Day*******_

Eli took Jazmin to her and her brother's new apartment after lunch. He wanted her to settle and rest before the bridal shower or whatever the hell Dick was throwing. She insisted she was going.

"Veronica would understand if you didn't come," Eli was saying as they walked around the apartment courtyard. She wanted to see the area before heading to the apartment.

"I know she would," Jazmin said. "I got some stitches. It's sore, but I'll be okay. I'm just hoping when I try on the bridesmaid dress the bandage won't show."

"Are you okay with what happened?" Eli asked her in concern. She didn't seem nearly as upset as she should be over taking a life. Hell, he had been more upset when Thumper was killed, and he hadn't actually done the deed.

"I guess I have more of my father in me than I thought," she said, blanching a bit at the thought. "I'm glad he's dead. I'm glad I was the one to take his life. Now I don't have to be afraid anymore."

Eli looked at her closely and didn't see anything but honesty in her eyes. She meant it. For her sake, he was glad. "Then I'm glad, too," he said, squeezing the hand he was holding. He led her to her new apartment.

Sebastian was sitting in the only chair the living room had while Jason stood grimly by the kitchen counter. Her father got to his feet when he saw her.

"Daddy! You didn't have to come early! I'm okay," she said.

"What? My only daughter is traumatized once again by that maniac, and I'm supposed to stay home in my bed like nothing happened?" he asked. He frowned at the sling around her arm and carefully hugged her. "Your brother tried to avoid telling me about your injury, but I talk to Sheriff Mars. You'll be happy to know that there will be no charges filed for your illegal gun possession."

"That's good," Jazmin said. "I hadn't really considered I'd get into trouble with the law."

"I don't want to hear about you carrying around a gun anymore," her father told her in disapproval. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to reward Joseph for the gun or punish him. Sebastian didn't like be unsure about anything nor did he like not being the one to solve her problems.

"I'll have V get you a tazer," Eli said, in complete agreement with her dad.

"I got your bed set up," Jason told her.

"You should rest some before we go to Dick's," Eli suggested. He kissed her on the cheek as she went off to explore her new place.

Sebastian frowned at Eli. Then he looked at Jason. "So I'm waiting for you two to explain how you let this happen?" Sebastian said accusingly.

Eli gave him an angry look. "We didn't let anything happen. We went to move our furniture while she packed. She wasn't alone and the house had an alarm system," Eli said. "You were supposed to have a guy watching David, right? Shouldn't you have known he was in town? If we knew, believe me, we wouldn't have left her side."

Sebastian didn't like Eli turning things back around on him, but Eli didn't stay to hear more. Instead, he dismissed Sebastian and said to Jason, "Tell her that I'll be back in a few hours." Then he left.

"Eli's right. Why didn't we know David left Texas?" Jason asked his dad. He had to listen to his dad's lecture for almost an hour before Jazmin and Eli had arrived. Since Jason felt so bad about the entire mess, it hadn't occurred to him to question why they didn't know David had been in town.

"I don't know. My man there hasn't gotten back to me. I'll find out. That you can be sure," Sebastian said grimly. His daughter could've been killed yet again. This time, he was as much to blame as his son. They had both failed her. He had been denied his revenge. However, he had to console himself with the thought that at least his daughter had gotten her vengeance. Maybe now her suffering would be over.

_******The Casablancas******_

Veronica held Logan's hand as they walked into Dick's living room. All their friends were there. Trina was ordering everyone around while Thea talked to Jazmin, who seemed remarkably okay considering what had happened to her the day before.

"We have great friends, don't we?" Veronica said to Logan.

"We do. Dick's fraternity brothers are only here in small droves since most are out of town!" Logan said, proud of Dick for not overdoing it for once.

"I'm so lucky!" she exclaimed, leaning into Logan.

He turned her to face her. "I'm the lucky one," he said, looking at her with adoration as he kissed her. A few whistles and "Save it for the honeymoon!" broke out. He grinned and turned back to their friends.

"Okay, you must open mine first!" Daisy said eagerly, thrusting out a box for Veronica.

Veronica sat down in the spot Trina had reserved for her and began to open the box. She wasn't a prude, but she stole a quick glance at Alicia when she peeked into the box. She was very happy her dad was too busy to come!

She handed Logan the small tube of cream.

"What the hell?" he asked. "Penis enlargement cream? I don't need that!" The group broke out into laughter.

Veronica's eyes widened as she read the title of the two books Daisy had put in the box. "_The Bedside Kama Sutra _and _Tickle his Pickle: The Hands-on guide to Penis Pleasing_!" Veronica read aloud.

Logan's eyes widened as he grabbed the last book from her. "Now this is more like it! This one is totally for me!" Logan exclaimed with a smirk. Again, their friends laughed as Veronica felt her face flush in embarrassment.

"Daisy, my stepmother is here! You are so lucky Dad couldn't make it!" she yelled.

"Hey, it's not my fault you guys decided to invite the guys to the bridal shower!" Daisy said with a grin.

"What else is in there?" Logan asked eagerly.

Veronica handed him a fuzzy set of hand-cuffs and a cock ring.

Alicia frowned in confusion. "What is that?" she asked. Insane laughter broke out as Veronica gave Daisy a glare. Daisy leaned over and whispered to Alicia, whose mouth fell open in shock at Daisy's explanation.

Wallace groaned in embarrassment. "Daisy, you ain't right! I'm scarred for life now!" he complained. His mother should _not _know what that thing was!

Dick was rolling with laughter. "You totally have to let me know how the cock ring works out!" he exclaimed.

Logan gave Veronica a wicked wink and put the cock ring back in the box.

Finally, Veronica pulled out a sheer white, barely there negligee. There was much applause, whistles, and cat calls. Daisy stood up and took a bow.

Veronica handed Logan the empty box and told him to put everything back in. "Thanks, Daisy. You shouldn't have. Really," she said dryly.

Daisy just gave her an unapologetic grin. "Hey, you two have been together awhile. I'm just doing my part to make sure you have a happy marriage!" she said. When Veronica laughed and began opening more gifts, her eyes went to Jason, who was on the edge of the crowd. She noticed him break off and couldn't help but get up and follow him.

He walked down a hall into a room. Curious, she followed him and stood in the doorway. It was a library of office of some kind. There was a desk and bookshelves with lots of books. Jason was walking around looking at titles.

"Hey," Daisy called out, leaning on the doorway. "Are you okay?"

Jason gave her a pain filled look. "So you suddenly care how I'm doing?" he asked bitterly, surprising her.

"Don't be like that!" she scolded, straightening up and folding her arms across her chest. "I never said I didn't care!"

"Oh, yeah, that's right, I forgot. It's me that doesn't care enough about you!" he said sarcastically. "It's a good thing you got away from me while you could. I can't seem to do much right these days." He walked over to her and stopped in front of her, his unhappiness apparent.

Daisy frowned, not liking hearing him be so full of self-loathing. "What happened to Jazmin isn't your fault, Jason," she said soberly. "That was beyond anyone's control."

"She could've been killed yet again. She literally had to kill a man to save her own life!" Jason said angrily. "She should _never_ have had to bear that burden!"

"You should just be grateful she was so resourceful," she pointed out.

He examined her silently a moment. "You could've been killed," he said softly, voicing the other thing that was eating at him. He could've lost both the women he loved in one full swoop while he was just a few blocks away, totally oblivious. He stepped closer to her, his eyes filled with pain. His hand lifted to her cheek. "I could've lost you forever. How would I have lived with that?"

Daisy was struck silent by his surprising confession. This was _not_ what she expected him to say. His real pain called to her, and for once she thought simply of offering him comfort. She turned and shut the library door, locking it. Then she faced him. "I'm okay," she said quietly. She reached out and hugged him. His arms went around her, hugging her tightly.

Over and over his mind kept picturing her in that room with Jazmin. Instead of David on the floor dead, he'd see her. He pulled back and looked down at her intensely. "I'd die if something like that happened to you," he said harshly. And then he kissed her passionately, pouring all his anger, fear, and frustration into the kiss.

Daisy was powerless in the face of the emotions and passions rolling through him. She pulled back and said, "Just for tonight."

Her reminder that she still didn't want him caused him to snort in annoyance. "I love you," he reminded her.

As he looked at her so full of passion and seething emotions, Daisy felt something inside her break way. His words both made her melt and filled her with fear. Somehow some part of her realized that maybe she had simply been playing at being a girlfriend before. Maybe she hadn't realized that love meant more than sex and emotion. It meant sacrifice, commitment, and a willingness to go to any lengths for the one you loved.

As Jason and she stared without speaking at one another, she suddenly was struck with the thought that this man had only begun to love her. If she let him, his love with consume her, changing her forever. The thought filled her with both excitement and dread. Before she could decide if she'd be willing to risk everything and completely open herself up to that kind of love, he was kissing her again. All other thoughts faded in the onslaught.

Sometime later, Daisy was curled naked in his arms on the oversized couch that was in the room. Jason obviously hadn't slept since Jazmin was attacked again and fell into an exhausted slumber. Daisy examined his sleeping face in contemplation and conflict. Somehow his impassioned love making had convinced her finally that she was very important to him. That if something every happened to her it would destroy him just like it would if he lost his sister. She realized that knowing how to love and care for his twin had made him a natural caretaker, a man trained to never love halfway. Her new understanding changed everything for her. It put everything in a new light.

Daisy carefully got up without waking him and thought about the implications her new understanding made while she dressed. A part of her wanted to wake him and have him take her home and make love to her all over again. Another part of her was weary and fearful. She didn't know if she was ready for the responsibility of being loved by him. She honestly didn't know if she was capable of giving him what he needed. Her indecision pushed her to leave him sleeping.

Until she knew what she was ready and willing to give him, she had to keep some distance, some perspective. She had to be sure. Until she was willing to risk everything, she couldn't be with him.

_******Chapter End******_

_Sorry for not writing more stuff with the party, but I was really tired and have been working on this chapter for two weeks, I think. I just decided to focus on one couple mostly. _

_So the next chapter will cover the rehearsal dinner and the wedding for sure! I hope you enjoyed this update and the end of the David storyline. I always planned on this ending for David and this ending only. I didn't want someone else saving Jazmin, but I wanted her to save herself-a complete evolution of her character. I hope it wasn't disappointing for you!_


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